Londoners were evacuated from High Street Kensington and the Palace Gardens after Metropolitan Police officers were alerted of a suspicious package outside the Israeli Embassy.

Members of the public were whisked away from the area on Wednesday (June 8) as the police carried out a controlled explosion.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "A controlled explosion was carried out after a suspicious vehicle was found parked opposite the Israeli Embassy."

It was later discovered to be personal belongings left in a Volkswagon Passat.

The Israeli embassy seen in Kensington, London. Pic: Michael Crabtree

After a horrifying shooting in Orlando where 49 people were murdered in an open fire incident, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is "not complacent" about the chances of an attack closer to home .

London is set to be given a firearms boost as a protection from terrorism with 400 new firearms officers by April 2017 .