London police say suspect package dealt with

British police yesterday said that a suspect package found near the Bank of England, a focus for protesters during this week's G20 summit, had been dealt with.

"It is all over," a spokesman for the City of London police said. Cordons had now been lifted and surrounding roads reopened, she said. It was not immediately clear what the package had been, but police said no buildings had been evacuated during the incident.

The central bank will be a focus of protests by anti-capitalist and environmental campaigners today before the G20 summit of leading and emerging nations.

Police are warning about "unprecedented" levels of protest and have cancelled leave during the next two days.

Businesses have been advised to postpone unnecessary meetings and their staff told to dress-down to avoid attracting attention to themselves.

The G20 leaders will hold tomorrow's talks on tackling the economic and financial crisis at the ExCel conference centre near the Canary Wharf financial district in east London.