VIDEO: News reporter arrested during live broadcast

A broadcast from Beijing's Tiananmen Square has turned into a bizarre television experience for British viewers after a Sky News reporter and his camera operator were detained by authorities - live.

Sky News correspondent Mark Stone says he was broadcasting at Tiananmen Square when officials detained him. He kept the camera on the whole time, narrating his trip in a Chinese police van as startled anchor Anna Jones asked him what was happening.

"This is a slightly surreal situation, I have to say," she said on-air Friday.

"I should say this is surreal for us as well," he responded.

It's not clear why Stone was detained. Chinese regulations require prior approval to broadcast live from politically sensitive and heavily patrolled Tiananmen.

Sky News says it had permission.