Alert lifted after central London area halted

A security alert brought major traffic hold-ups to the Aldgate area of central London today.

A Twitter picture showed a small car with its tailgate open on the pavement near the Aldgate Tube station, the site of one of the 7/7 underground explosions.

Roads around the busy traffic island were sealed off and buidlings evacuated as a precaution.

Reuters reported at 1.07pm that the Tube station had reopened following police checks on a suspect package.