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Work has continued as usual on the Wembley Stadium construction site despite reports of death threats against crane operators. Reports in the Australian press say snipers have threatened to open fire on building sites across the world if Australian company Multiplex fails to hand over £20 million. Alan Ritchie, general secretary of the construction union UCATT, said the union had been in touch with both the company and Scotland Yard.

'There's no reason to believe that workers on Multiplex sites in the UK are under threat but we have taken steps to ensure their safety,' he said. 'All workers on Multiplex sites are to have a briefing on security and all workers are being offered counselling to raise any individual concerns with the company directly. We will continue to monitor the situation and will take appropriate steps to safeguard the safety of workers on all Multiplex sites.'

A spokesperson for Amicus, which has 400 members working on the new stadium, said: 'We have had assurances from the police and from the company that every security precaution has been put in place.' Multiplex said it had tried to inform all staff after extortion demands were made in a letter last month to its Sydney office. The threats said sniper attacks could target crane drivers on any of the company's sites worldwide. As well as the Wembley development, there are Multiplex projects in White City and Knightsbridge, London.

Hundreds of workers walked off Melbourne construction sites after being told of the sniper threats. Their wages were protected because the walk-out was prompted by safety fears.