Tower bridge bomb scare: Monument closed after suspect package found

Members of the public were evacuated from the bridge and nearby buildings

Tower Bridge was closed due to a suspect package (Twitter/pedroteixeira07)

Police closed Tower Bridge and evacuated nearby buildings after a suspicious package was found on the iconic monument.

Officers were alerted to the package at around 2:38pm, and shut Tower Bridge to both pedestrians and traffic, MailOnline reported.

People were evacuated from nearby buildings including shops and offices, shortly after 3pm.

Anand Sunwar was among workers ushered into a courtyard after management told him and fellow employees to leave the building.

Londoners nearby tweeted photos showing the usually bustling tourist attraction left bare by the closure.

The bridge re-opened around an hour later, just before the start of the evening rush hour. But the closure caused congestion in the already traffic-heavy area of the capital. Google Maps revealed the level of congestion in the area at around 4:30pm in the afternoon.

Map showing the traffic around Tower Bridge following the incident (Google Maps)

Transport for London tweeted when the road was closed to warn drivers that traffic in the surrounding area was slow.

The City of London's dedicated police force thanked the public for their patience.

The force confirmed to The Evening Standard that the package was "just a bag".