A security alert in Shoreditch, East London, is the third so far today proven to be a false alarm as London remains jumpy in the aftermath of the terror attack in Westminster yesterday.
Curtain Road in Shoreditch, East London was cordoned off by police due to a “suspicious package” but it was later deemed not a risk.
Earlier in the day the iconic Gherkin building was evacuated due to smoke billowing from the basement which turned out to be due to a burnt out fuse.
Shortly after another alert was sounded at the US Embassy in Grovesnor Square.
Streets were closed and workers in nearby buildings were told to move away from windows.
The area has since reopened.
Eight people have been arrested and six addresses raided in London, Birmingham and elsewhere in connection with the Westminster terror attack, Mark Rowley, the Met’s senior anti-terror officer, has said.
He also confirmed the death toll currently stands at four, including the attacker, after police last night said five had died.
He said: “Greater clarity is now developing regarding the casualty figures as we’ve now collated the information from the public and five hospitals.
“The latest figure that I have are there are only four dead and 29 people were treated in hospital.
“We’re also collating the numbers of walking wounded. Sadly seven of those in hospital are still in critical condition.”
It was originally thought three people had been killed on Westminster Bridge but the number is now thought to be two.
Those who died were a woman in her 40s named as Aysha Frade, a man in his 50s, PC Keith Palmer and the attacker.
Speaking this morning, Theresa May confirmed those injured included 12 Britons, three French children, two Romanians, four South Koreans, two Greeks, and one each from Germany, Poland, Ireland, China, Italy and the United States.
Three police officers were also hurt, two of them seriously.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.