Suspect package found near Emirates

Arsenal's Barclays Premier League game against Manchester City this afternoon went ahead as planned following a pre-match security alert outside the Emirates Stadium.

Police found what officers on the streets described as a "suspect package" in a car park close to the stadium, and cordoned off the ground for the best part of an hour.

Metropolitan Police officers prevented members of the public and press from approaching the ground, and an officer used a loud speaker to inform spectators that police were looking into an incident.

During that time, the coaches for both teams were allowed to drive up and approach the stadium at the Armoury club shop entrance, near the Benwell Road roundabout.

At just before 3pm, the cordon was lifted and access granted to the stadium.

A post on the official Arsenal Twitter feed read: "AFCvMCFC game is definitely ON after police gave the all clear following pre-match security alert outside Emirates. Apologies for any delay."

Police also later said the incident had been given the all-clear.

It is understood the incident involved a car in the vicinity of the ground, which the police bomb disposal team investigated before deciding there was no threat to public safety.