Explosion outside UK treasury; suspicious package removed

London police said on Friday they had removed and made safe a suspicious package found in the Whitehall political district after an explosion was heard from the area. "The cordon has now been lifted. Enquiries continue," they said on Twitter.

London police had earlier cordoned off an area in the central London political district of Whitehall near the British parliament after reports of a suspicious package.

Separately, a person could be seen climbing up scaffolding near the base of the Big Ben tower at parliament. However, it was not immediately confirmed if the incidents were linked to each other.

Further details are awaited.