COPS closed four bridges in London this morning to investigate an "unattended item".

       The closures sparked travel chaos as drivers were forced to take alternative routes, and pedestrians evacuated from the affected areas.

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       Police evacuated people from the area earlier today Credit: AFP 3

       Four bridges have been closed Credit: The Sun

       It is understood Waterloo Station was also closed.

       The Met police said in a tweet: "A number of bridges in central London have been closed as a precaution while officers assess an unattended item in the vicinity of South Bank.

       "They are: Westminster Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Hungerford and Golden Jubilee footbridges.

       "Please use alternative routes."

       A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "LAS crews responded to an incident this morning on Belvedere Road, SE1.

       "We sent an incident response officer, members of our @LAS_HART, and a command support vehicle.

       "Our crews did not treat any patients and have now been stood down."

       A witness told The Sun police had advised pedestrians to leave the area, as closures caused mass travel chaos.

       BBC London Travel reported there were delays North and South of the River Thames.

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       Shaina Silva said on Twitter: "Mass evacuations around #southbank and #westminster bridge.

       "I was walking around the eye and everyone is being evacuated from surrounding buildings and the bridge is roped off.

       "There’s a huge #metpolice presence but they aren’t giving any info as to why. #London."

       Unverified social media accounts suggested the South Bank was closed from the IMAX cinema to St Thomas's hospital.

       Others said Waterloo station had also been closed.

       The London force has since confirmed the item was found not to be suspicious.

       In a tweet from the official Metropolitan Police Twitter account, a spokesperson said: "The unattended item has been assessed and was found not to be suspicious.

       "Road closures will be lifted imminently. We thank the public for their cooperation."

       Waterloo bridge has since been reopened.

       It comes as the UK's terror alert was reduced from severe to substantial.

       Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the changes last week.

       The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) had classified the risk as severe following two horrific back-to-back terror attacks.

       Tory MP Sir David Amess tragically died in October after being stabbed multiple times at a constituency surgery in Essex, closely followed by the bombing of a taxi by Emad Al Swealmeen at Liverpool Women's Hospital.

       Speaking last Wednesday, Ms Patel said: "JTAC judges that, despite these two attacks, the current nature and scale of the UK terrorist threat is consistent with the level of threat seen prior to the attacks.

       "The attacks in October and November 2021 reflect the complex, volatile, and unpredictable nature of the terrorist threat in the UK."

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       Police at the scene Credit: The Sun