In Heart of London: Huge Explosive Device Found

London ‘bomb’ made safe by police

Police have made safe a explosive device in London. Officers were called to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in The Haymarket shortly before 0200 BST.

The immediate area was cordoned off while police examined what they described as a “potentially viable explosive device”.

The Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command has launched an investigation and The Haymarket is likely to remain closed for some time.

  more details to follow …

Police say The Haymarket is likely to remain closed for some time and severe travel disruption is predicted.

Piccadilly Circus Tube station is closed and trains are not stopping, while local bus services are being diverted.

It is not clear if police were given a warning or if they were informed by a passer-by. [update] Witnesses relate driver of silver mercedes made awkward stop, hit some trash bins and ran off. Passers-by saw gas cylinders on backseat and warned the London authorities. Officers carried out a controlled explosion to defuse the device.

A British police forensics officer stands near the area
where police the bomb in a parked car in London's theatre
district and launched a counter-terrorism investigation.
The bomb was found hours after new Prime Minister Gordon
Brown named his cabinet succeeding Tony Blair.

New PM Gordon Brown replaces Tony Blair.

Mr Brown’s first Cabinet includes Britain’s first female home secretary, Jacqui Smith, Alistair Darling as chancellor and David Miliband as foreign secretary.

Every Cabinet post except Des Browne at defence has changed hands, with seven ministers reaching the top tier of government for the first time.

There are dozens of middle-ranking and junior ministerial posts still to fill.

The government is due to announce plans for constitutional reform

● Jack Straw reinstated as cabinet minister under Gordon Brown
● Tony Blair named Middle-East envoy by Quartet