TONY Blairs blundering bodyguard left a deadly loaded pistol in full view of coffee shop customers and their children.

The semi-automatic Glock 17 remained on the floor of the Starbucks cafes only toilet for nearly 20 minutes.

The bodyguard, a girl cop who is the former PMs close protection officer, left it there after spending a penny while on duty.

It was eventually found by a horrified Starbucks employee, who called 999.

Armed police rushed to the cafe to recover it.

Linked

Meanwhile the high-flying officer, in her 30s and wearing plain clothes, was searching frantically for the gun after realising her mistake.

She spent nearly an hour trying to retrace her steps.

The pistol was eventually linked to her when cops compared its serial number to those logged at a police armoury.

Scotland Yard chiefs hit the roof. And the bodyguard, whose job is to protect Mr Blair from al-Qaeda terrorists, has been removed from operational duties.

 

A senior police source said last night: She knows she has messed up bad. The officer, attached to the Yards crack SO1 protection unit, was caught short while on Edgware Road, Central London near one of Mr Blairs homes.

She took off a belt holding the Glock while she relieved herself in the Starbucks toilet used by men and women, boys and girls.

After leaving the loo the absent-minded cop stopped to buy a coffee and then walked out completely forgetting she had left the gun behind.

The police source said: Luckily it was found in time, but if a child or a criminal had picked it up there could have been terrible consequences.

This has come as a shock. The officer is inconsolable and seriously regrets her mistake.

The source added: Everyone is fond of her.

She was among the top in her class during training, but her firearms career could be over.

Armed female cops have been griping for years about the bulky design of their gun belts. Male officers do not need to remove theirs to spend a penny but the girls do.

The source said no decision has been made about the bodyguards long-term future.

Her SO1 unit full name Specialist Protection Command is responsible for the personal safety of Prime Minister Gordon Brown and ex-PMs Mr Blair and Margaret Thatcher.

It also guards Cabinet ministers, ambassadors and high-profile individuals who are considered terrorist targets.

Scotland Yard said last night: A police-issue firearm was left unattended in a central London cafe.

Traced

The weapon belongs to a Metropolitan Police authorised firearm officer who was on duty at the time. An investigation has begun.

We have traced the officer concerned and the officer has been removed from operational duties pending the investigation.

The Starbucks bungle is the second security blip faced by Middle East envoy Mr Blair since he left Downing Street.

Last September four asylum seekers got into the UK in the back of a lorry delivering Mr Blairs new £100,000 reinforced BMW from Munich.

They were discovered when the doors of the transporter were opened at a police garage in Vauxhall, South London.