Investigators have reportedly blown up an item found on a double-decker bus which sparked a security scare near Finsbury Park station.
Police raced to Blackstock Road just before 5pm and taped off roads after a "suspicious package" was discovered on a route 106 bus.
Stunned residents said up to eight police cars were stationed in the street with some surrounding the double-decker vehicle as neighbours were ordered to remain inside shops and homes.
And eyewitnesses told how they heard what they described as an "explosion" before the road was reopened.
Rob Hastings, deputy features editor of the i newspaper, said: “The bus was empty by the time I saw what was going on.
“Police were walking up and down my section of the street and maybe 150 metres of it was taped off.
“Store owners were told to close their shutters and stay inside.
“There was a moderately loud bang that I can only presume was a controlled explosion but that is just a guess. A sniffer dog was whipping along the street as well.”
Paul Parsons tweeted: "Nothing like a good bomb scare and detonation?! Outside your flat on a Friday evening #FinsburyPark."
Roads near Finsbury Park station have been taped off as police investigate a “suspicious item” found on a London bus.
Louis Allday wrote: “North London people: Blackstock road is closed to traffic due to a bomb scare at seven sisters road end.”
Transport for London said five bus routes had been diverted or cut short as a result of the security alert.
Police said the item had been declared non-suspicious just after 6pm but could not say whether an explosion had been carried out.
Roads have now fully reopened.
