Police escort Pietersen from airport

Kevin Pietersen was given a police escort out of Heathrow airport on Thursday morning after returning to England from a holiday in South Africa.

Pietersen, who resigned as England captain in controversial circumstances on Wednesday, tried to slip out of a side door but was greeted by a phalanx of photographers and cameramen.

After landing on a Virgin flight from Johannesburg, Pietersen left in a black car without making any comment.

Pietersen is understood to have resigned before being sacked, while England coach Peter Moores was also dismissed on a dramatic and damaging day for English cricket.

ECB managing director Hugh Morris explained there had been an "irretrievable breakdown of the relationship between captain and coach".

Pietersen is reported to have given an ultimatum to the ECB that he was not prepared to embark on the forthcoming tour to the West Indies under the present management structure.

Andrew Strauss will captain England in the Caribbean, charged with restoring unity to a divided dressing room in time for this summer's Ashes series.

Pietersen returned to face headlines claiming "England cricket is ripped apart by hatred" and suggestions that he did not have the support of senior players Strauss and Andrew Flintoff.

Morris said on Wednesday: "Kevin recognised that in the present situation it was impossible to restore the dressing room unity, which is vital, if England are to win the forthcoming tour to the Caribbean, the ICC global events or regain the Ashes in the npower Ashes Test series."