
Petrified Londoners dialled 999 yesterday after a bus was blown up close to Parliament for a new movie stunt reminiscent of the 7/7 attacks, MailOnline can reveal today.

Scotland Yard has confirmed that two people contacted the emergency services fearing London was under attack when the red double decker burst into a fireball for Jackie Chan's film The Foreigner.

The bus was blown up on Lambeth Bridge but producers for the film also starring former Bond, Pierce Brosnan, failed to warned locals, meaning many including a group of children playing in a park nearby were terrified.

A Met spokesman told MailOnline that they received two calls at around 11.30am yesterday but their team knew there was filming on the bridge and were able to reassure the panicked callers.

The explosion will have brought back terrible memories for many who remember the 2005 suicide bombings, where 52 died including 13 in a bus on Tavistock Square.

John Taylor, whose daughter Carrie, 24, died at Aldgate tube in the suicide bomb attack, was working nearby at the Tate Britain art gallery. He said: 'You can totally understand why some would be alarmed seeing this. It seems particularly insensitive.'

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Terror: A bus exploded on Lambeth Bridge yesterday for the filming of new Jackie Chan movie, The Foreigner which features former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan - but witnesses ended up calling 999

Dramatic: The explosion caught the eye of passers-by who were in the area as fire and smoke rose from the bus on Lambeth Bridge

Chilling: The aftermath of the yesterday's explosion left many terrified and the result looked very similar to the 7/7 attack on Tavistock Square, right

Londoners were shocked when they saw the bus explode on the bridge - the drama 'scared the daylights' out of Alex Donaldson

This Twitter user asked that more warning was given to warn children what was about to happen on the bridge

Flames shot up in the air when the explosion broke the roof of the bus on the bridge. A large fire then engulfed the vehicle spreading debris across the road.

Shocked people took to Twitter, Sophie Kinsella wrote: 'Hey film types, next time you blow up a bus on Lambeth Bridge maybe tell us first so children in park aren't freaked?'

Alex Donaldson tweeted: 'Curious re who approved blowing up a #LondonBus...in the name of a movie #scaredthedaylights'

Another user said: 'Was far enough away from to see bus blow up but not why, genuinely felt it in pit of my stomach.'

LowriPeploe-Williams was scared when she saw the explosion, she said: 'Just watched a bus blow up on Lambeth bridge to find out its for a film.'

Conservative MP for Mid Worcestershire Nigel Huddleston posted a video of the explosion with the message: 'Anyone worried about the exploding bus on Lambeth Bridge just now? It was just for a movie.'

Tweets were posted and warning messages published on TfL's website informing people of what was planned for the bridge.

The message said: 'Filming will take place within the lane closure at the bus stop next to the palace from 11am-12noon.'

A spokesman for the Port of London Authority also confirmed it was a stunt for a film and that the bridge was closed off. But the scene took some by surprise.

The bus exploded on Lambeth Bridge today for the filming of new Jackie Chan movie, The Foreigner, which features the martial arts star and former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan

A close-up dramatic shot of the fire on Lambeth Bridge in London shows it fully engulfed the bus leaving just the vehicle's shell

It was a quiet Sunday morning before the explosion, fire and smoke caught the eye of tourists out and about in the Lambeth Bridge area

The Foreigner - a new film thought to being directed by Martin Campbell - shot on Lambeth Bridge earlier yesterday and exploded a bus

The bus after the explosion on the film set for the new Jackie Chan film, The Foreigner, which starts Mrs Doubtfire actor Pierce Brosnan

In a notice warning residents about it, film producers described the film as a 'gritty action thriller'. It is directed by Martin Campbell, who was behind James Bond films Casino Royale and GoldenEye.

The notice, posted on Twitter, stated: 'The explosion is controlled and operated by our special effects team.'

It added: 'Every precaution will be taken to ensure the safety of the people in the area.'

Brosnan's role in the film is as an ex-IRA government official who let Chan's family die.

And former Bond star Brosnan has been feeling nostalgic for his first team-up with director Campbell back in 1994, sharing a throwback shot on his Instagram page from around the time he wrapped filming on his Bond debut.

The stunning photo shows the handsome star posing with his then girlfriend and now wife Keely Shaye Smith, alongside the caption: 'I had just finished Goldeneye and we went Bora.'

Chan, 61, has in the last few days been seen taking to the streets of Balham where fans have been capturing photos of him on social media.



Work begins to clear the bus after the explosion on Lambeth Bridge which cause fire and smoke to rise in the sky in London

Transport for London officials warned tourists and travellers that the bridge would be closed between 11am-12pm for the filming

Crowds gathered for the filming on Lambeth Bridge where Jackie Chan was filming his new film, The Foreigner, which is estimated to have a budget of $35million

The police helicopter crew for the South East tweeted this photo taken from the air of the bus after the explosion on the bridge

A closer look onboard the police helicopter of the scene after the fire and smoke had cleared - the explosion was metres from Parliament