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Boulevard de la Madeleine and the surrounding area was cordoned off by armed French officers after the French authorities said they were investigating a possible bomb.

Police were seen near a parked black car close to the landmark L'église de la Madeleine church.

Bomb squad officers carried out a controlled explosion at 11.15am local time (10.15am BST) on a Fiat which was parked on one of Paris' main thoroughfares.