As the tallest skyscraper in  Western Europe, the Shard offers breath-taking views of London.

But for some who were stuck there yesterday, the view hardly compensated for them being stuck at the top while a fire alarm went off downstairs.

More than 200 visitors to western Europe’s tallest building, The Shard, were stranded 800ft up yesterday after a lift stopped working due to a fire scare.

Tickets for the £2billion building’s viewing platforms cost £24.95 for an adult and £18.95 for a child – and while the delay meant visitors got an extended view, that did not appease their fury at the long wait for their descent.

This automatically grounded the lifts – and some visitors claimed they were not allowed to use the stairs to return to ground level, The Independent reported.