Regent Street evacuated as Christmas shoppers are caught up in 'suspicious vehicle' reports

There were reports of a suspicious vehicle in the alert near Hamley's toy shop

Police closed down Regent Street following reports of a suspicious vehicle (Twitter/Emily Matthews)

Police have evacuated hundreds of Christmas shoppers from London's busy Regent Street amid reports of a suspicious vehicle.

Images and video posted to social media showed an area outside the flagship Hamley's toy shop had been evacuated.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed to the Independent that a police cordon was set up while officers investigated the vehicle.

The all-clear was later issued, and pedestrian access has now been restored.

But the incident highlighted the state of alert which exists across the capital, particularly in the wake of the Leytonstone Tube Station stabbing and earlier terror attacks in Paris.

On Twitter, Westminster police thanked the public for their "co-operation" following the earlier incident.