Twitter has blocked the government from potential sources of counter-terrorism intelligence, reports claim.

It is said that both police and security services, including MI5, have been prevented accessing vast pools of data on the social media site.

The government had been using a third-party company to monitor activity on Twitter for terror-related interaction.

But that firm has now been blocked, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Twitter has previously been clear in its view of governments' access to the platform - describing surveillance as "absolutely unacceptable" and "prohibited".

The latest reports come amid a debate over the role of social media in terror incidents and the handling of terror-related content online.

In March, tech giants Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft pledged to join forces to tackle extremist content on their platforms.

But this contrasts with Twitter's reluctant stance against allowing governments to pry using its platform.

In November, senior Twitter executive said Chris Moody said the site would take "appropriate action" - including suspension and termination of access to its data products - if companies violated the policy.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has refused to rule out the possibility of legislating against tech companies which block access to their services.

Her comments, made last March, followed reports that Westminster attacker Khalid Masood's final Whatsapp message had been encrypted.