BREAKING: White House in lockdown for SECOND time in 24 hours after security breach

BARACK Obama has been caught up in a security scare at the White House which is in lockdown for the second time in less than 24 hours.

The Secret Service, which protects the President and the White House, scrambled into action after what is believed to have been a phone and papers were hurled over a fence at the iconic property.

Roads surrounding the White House were sealed off and tourists trapped outside the police cordon following the security alert on Wednesday.

A security sweep of the area is being carried out by anti-terrorism experts and Mr Obama, who is inside the White House, is understood to have been informed about the incident.

Nebojsa Malic took to Twitter and tweeting from @NebojsaMalic, said: "No official explanation for #Whitehouse lockdown.

"One Secret Service cop says 'might be an hour' before it's lifted.

It is the second time is as many days that there has been a security scare at arguably the most famous residence in the world.

On Tuesday the North Lawn and surrounding areas were evacuated just before 4pm after reports that a man fleeing from the scene of a robbery jumped the fence of a Government building adjacent to the White House.

The lock down was lifted after 30 minutes after Secret Service officers dismissed the threat.