One of London’s top museums was evacuated on Tuesday after a security scare.
Police vans were seen racing to the Victoria and Albert museum as people inside were herded outside because of a "security alert" at just before 3pm.
A spokesman for the Met Police confirmed the museum, on Cromwell Road in Knightsbridge, had been evacuated.
Photos at the scene show police tape and crowds of people gathered outside the museum.
Witnesses described seeing police cordon off Cromwell and Brompton roads and unrolling police tape around the museum building.
Vivienne Hannides had just finished visiting one of the museum’s exhibitions when she was evacuated from the buillding by a security guard.
Ms Hannides told the Standard: “We were thinking of going into the fashion bit when one of the security guards came up and said we are evacuating the building could you please leave.
“As we came into Exhibition Road there was a lot of police and people in the road. They were directing people towards Cromwell Road.
“We were idling along and they said can you get a move on please.”
Fabi Silva said crowds of people were trying to leave the area and there was a “bit of panic”.
She said: “All roads around are blocked and we couldn't get to the tube station, people were saying it was blocked.”
Another person at the scene, Elliot White, said he heard "lots of yelling" as the museum was evacuated.
Photos from the scene show police vans and cars surrounding the museum.
At just after 4.30pm, the Met Police said the incident at the museum had been stood down.
A spokesman said: "The museum was evacuated as a precaution and temporary local road closures were put in place. The incident has now been stood down."
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