Westminster Bridge 'suspicious vehicle': Police evacuate London landmark and close roads

Officers cordon off streets near Houses of Parliament in security alert

Areas around the Houses of Parliament were evacuated in a security alert after the discovery of a “suspicious vehicle”.

Police cordoned off Westminster Bridge and Victoria Embankment in central London to both traffic and pedestrians.

Armed officers checked the area and the vehicle, as witnesses reported they heard “loud cracking” sounds.

But after an hour and 20 minutes, the Metropolitan Police announced that the vehicle had been deemed non-suspicious and the roads had reopened.

One witness, Patrick Cardwell, tweeted that it sounded as though a bomb squad had destroyed a suspicious package.

Police were called at 3.15pm after being alerted to the vehicle.

Members of the public were held behind the cordon.

Buses were diverted, and an area of the River Thames was closed to boats and clippers before the all-clear was given.