Homes evacuated as police blow up package outside suburban North Korean embassy in London

Police shut down roads and evacuated homes as they carried out a controlled explosion on a package found outside the North Korean embassy in London.

The Met confirmed they were called to a report of a "suspicious item" just before 8pm outside the suburban semi-detached house in Ealing, west London.

They exploded the item around 9.30pm and confirmed it was found to be non-suspicious.

Officers and other emergency services attended while the item was assessed on Gunnersbury Avenue.

Road closures were established while the surrounding properties were evacuated as a precaution.

The North Korean embassy is in a seven-bedroom residential house formerly owned by Carry On star Sid James.