A John Lewis store has been evacuated after two suspicious packages were discovered, say police.
Customers and staff have been forced to leave the department store in the Centre MK shopping centre in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
The two packages were found on Monday morning, shortly after the store opened for the day.
Thames Valley Police are urging people to avoid the area while officers carry out an investigation to determine if the packages pose a threat.
A cordon has been set up around the scene.
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The force tweeted: "Thames Valley Police is on the scene of two suspicious packages at the Centre MK shopping centre.
"The John Lewis store is currently being evacuated as a precaution and a cordon is being put in place."
Police added: "Road closures have also been put in place in the immediate vicinity.
"Members of the public are being urged to avoid the area until further notice."
A shopper told Total MK: “A member of security said it affects the area inside and out.
"It is attracting a lot of interest from shoppers.
"It's not the sort of thing you expect when you pop in for a coffee on a Monday morning, and quite worrying."
Another shopper said: "My mother and I was evacuated from John Lewis. That whole area is cornered off.
"When we were leaving they were stopping people from entering near John Lewis."
A man who was inside the shopping centre when the John Lewis store was evacuated said the situation was calm.
He tweeted: "Walked up and down and you wouldnt think anything was up unless down the far end by John Lewis.
"Even parked up only a short distance away after the cordon had been erected.
"Not one message or announcement.
"Very casual."
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