Whitehall has re-opened after being on lockdown when a “suspect package” was found, police have said.

Cordons were in place as police looked into the incident in King Charles Street, central London, a Metropolitan Police spokesman told HuffPost UK.

The street, which houses a number of key Government departments, was blocked off from Parliament Square to Horse Guards.

“The Police incident in Whitehall #Westminster has now concluded and roads in the area are being reopened. Thank you for your patience,” a tweet from the Metropolitan Police events account read.

The Whitehall entrance to Westminster station had been shut but the station remained open, a spokesman for Transport for London said.