Rumours of a gunman in Ealing Broadway have been quickly shut down by police after a security scare lead to the closure of the shopping centre.

Police were called to the scene at 12.50pm to reports of a suspicious package on Thursday May 25.

Specialist police units attended, and Scotland Yard told getwestlondon that it was soon determined that the package was “non-suspicious”.

Shoppers spilled onto the High Street after an evacuation at Ealing Broadway

Rumours surfaces on social media that there was a gunman in the area at the Primark store.

Chief Superintendent Paul Martin took to Twitter to quickly dismiss the rumours.

He said: "Dear #Ealing I can confirm that no firearm or weapon was involved in Ealing Brdwy Shopping Centre incident."

A spokesman for the Met Police said: "Police were called to Ealing Broadway to reports of a suspicious package at 12.50pm. Specialist units attended. The incident has now been stood down."

Ealing Metropolitan Police tweeted that "everything is fine" after the cordons were lifted adding: "Thank you for your patience while we investigated."

Jon Ball, Liberal Democrat candidate for Ealing Central and Acton said: "Please don't believe rumours. There is no gunman in Ealing Broadway. There was a suspicious package that turned out to be a false alarm."

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