Police reopen City of London streets near Liverpool Street station after 'suspicious package' alert in Bishopsgate lifted

City of London police would not confirm whether a Deliveroo takeaway bag was to blame for bomb scare

Madeleine Storr/Twitter/@MadeleineStorr (Madeleine Storr/Twitter)

Part of the City of London was temporarily shut down by police on Thursday morning after a “suspicious package” sparked a bomb scare.

Officers closed off Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street following a call at around 10am and reopened them an hour later City of London Police said.

A spokesperson said the alarm had been stood down by 11am but would not comment on the source of the alert.

A police officer carries what appears to be a Deliveroo bag after a 'suspect package' caused streets in central London to be cordoned off -Photo Ben Longstaff/Twitter (Ben Longstaff/Twitter)

A photo of a police officer carrying a large bag from Deliveroo, a premium food delivery service, sparked speculation that a misplaced takeaway was to blame.

"Looks like suspect package was more delicious than suspicious," commented one Twitter user.

The City of London Police service said it would not discuss the cause of the operation.

The affected area, near Liverpool Street railway station, is home to hundreds of businesses, banks and financial institutions

Employees working in nearby buildings said they were told not to leave their offices as the police operation continued.

"Road closed and we've been told not to leave the building and more away from windows," Tom Stayte, the founder of SquareShare, wrote on Twitter.

Ayman Hafez wrote that nearby roads looked "like a bus depot", after photographing a queue of London buses stretching into the distance.

Witnesses said the package under investigation was near the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) headquarters, although police did not immediately confirm the precise location.

Bishopsgate was closed to vehicles and pedestrians between Middlesex Street and Primrose Street.

Transport for London said its services from Liverpool Street station were unaffected by the temporary shutdown.