England players were evacuated from their hotel in the morning of the fourth Test against Australia following a fire alarm.

The players and staff were removed from the Radisson SAS Hotel and were forced to wait outside amid heavy rain in Leeds.

An ECB spokesman confirmed: "It was a fire alarm. There was an evacuation at about 4.50am and then a nice little 20 minutes standing outside with the rain falling.

"Two fire engines came to the hotel and then we were all allowed back in."

Off-spinner Graeme Swann had earlier written on his Twitter account: "fire alarm? brilliant!!!"

It was a distraction England did not need in the build-up to a Test which could see them clinch the series.