Armed police response amid security alert at St Thomas’s Hospital

Armed police descended on St Thomas’ after a ‘security alert’ this morning.

Police have since stood down and are now removing cordons around the hospital.

Lambeth Police said at 10.30am this morning: “The security alert at St Thomas’ Hospital is being stood down. We are in the process of removing cordons.”

BBC Radio London Travel tweeted: “Westminster Bridge is currently closed by the police – looks like there’s a cordon near St Thomas’ hospital too.

“Westminster Bridge and Lambeth Palace Road are closed. Also restrictions for pedestrians. @LambethMPS say they are dealing with a security alert at St Thomas’ Hospital.”

t is not clear what caused the ‘security alert’ but eyewitnesses claimed patients and staff were ‘locked down’ at the site, which is opposite the Houses of Parliament, during the incident.

Westminster Bridge and Lambeth Palace Road were also closed, according to BBC Radio London Travel.

An NBC producer said all staff, wards, departments and operating theatres inside the hospital were locked down.

Joe Sheffer wrote: “Incident at St Thomas’ hospital appears to be in south wing according to staff inside hospital.

“All staff, wards, departments and operating theatres have been locked down inside St Thomas’ hospital. Rumors abound on internal whatsapp groups, but nobody seems clear what is going on.”

Financial Times journalist Robert Wright tweeted: “I’m at St Thomas’ Hospital, where there’s some kind of serious incident under way. I can see armed police and there’s a helicopter overhead.”

And then at 10.48am: “Whatever happened, it’s clearly no longer happening.”