Police closed off part of New York's Times Square after the discovery of a suspicious package.

However it turned out to be nothing more than a scare and the area has now re-opened.

New York police sealed off part of Midtown Manhattan for a short time on Friday. On investigation the suspect item turned out to be an abandoned lunch box.

Police cordoned off several blocks of Seventh Avenue for about 90 minutes. A bomb squad member in a protective suit examined the white lunch box which contained a water bottle and nothing dangerous.