The Eiffel Tower has now re-opened, after being completely evacuated this afternoon for two hours following a bomb threat, French police have said.

The famous landmark was closed for approximately two hours.

The 324-metre-high (1,062-foot) iron tower was evacuated around 2pm (12:30 GMT) and had not reopened to tourists by 4pm. Police officials could give no further details.

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According to reports people who were already ascending the tower were ordered to quickly evacuate.

Built in 1889 and one of the world's most recognisable monuments, the Eiffel Tower sees some 7 million visitors each year and up to 30,000 a day in the peak summer season.

The tower is a regular target for bomb scares but there are usually only full evacuations a couple of times a year.

Today's evacuation comes amid heightened security and as a specific threat to the US consulate in the Pakistani city of Lahore led America to evacuate all but its emergency staff from the mission.

Earlier this week, a total of 19 US diplomatic posts in 16 countries located in the Middle East and Africa were closed and staff were evacuated from the embassy in Yemen after officials said they had intercepted a message from senior al-Qa'ida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

In March of this year visitors were evacuated from the Eiffel Tower after an anonymous phone call announcing an attack.

About 1,400 people were removed and a security perimeter was set up around the monument. Security guards were also ordered to leave, a decision described as unusual at the time.