Britain’s explosives officers have dealt with a suspected bomb in a vehicle parked near Piccadilly Circus in central London, making it "safe," police said..

Police did not offer any details about what they called a "potentially viable explosive device" or how they dealt with it.

Terrorist police were investigating after explosives officers were called to The Haymarket road shortly before 2am [0100GMT], police said in a statement on Friday.

"They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device," police said. "This was made safe."

Television images showed a blue tent-like cover placed over the vehicle, which was parked outside an American Express foreign exchange office.

A report said doormen from a nearby nightclub had reported that someone had crashed a blue Mercedes sedan into garbage bins and run away.

Jack Straw, who was named justice secretary by Gordon Brown, Britain's new prime minister, said ministers had been informed of the incident and called it "very saddening," but added "these things happen."

The area around the vehicle was cordoned off as a precaution on Friday morning while explosives officers examined the vehicle.

London transport officials said the Piccadilly Circus Underground train station was closed.

The alert comes a week before the second anniversary of the July 7 London bombings, in which four British Muslim suicide bombers killed themselves and 52 bus and subway passengers.

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Haymarket