Regent Street on lockdown after suspect package in Hamleys toy shop

One of London's busiest shopping streets evacuated

In 2017, Hamleys closed a number of loss-making stores in the UK and Ireland (PA)

A section of one of London's busiest shopping streets has been evacuated after a suspect package was found in famous toy shop Hamleys.

Customers were told to leave the world famous toy shop at about 3pm, Scotland Yard said.

Yet police have since confirmed the evacuation was triggered by a "false alarm", and said the evacuation operation had been stopped.

Police had cordoned off a large portion of the popular shopping street, causing widespread disruption, and buses and traffic were diverted.

It is not the first time there has been a bomb scare at the iconic shop.

During the Christmas period in 2015, a black cab parked outside the store sparked alarm and a 600ft stretch of road cordoned off.

The vehicle was pictured with smashed windows, and Twitter users wrongly claimed they had been "shot out".