WATCH: Staff At Hamleys Keep Children Calm During Oxford Street Lockdown
24 November 2017, 18:11 | Updated: 24 November 2017, 18:51
Staff at London's famous toy store managed to keep children calm with demonstrations while the shop was locked down amid reports of gunfire in Oxford Street.
It was one of a number of buildings in the West End locked down after police received “multiple reports” of shots fired in and around Oxford Street.
Police responded as if the incident was terrorist related and had urged people to take cover inside buildings.
However, officers found no suspects, gun shots or casualties and the incident is now over.
LBC reporter Lucy Hough was inside Hamleys toy store in Regents Street when the shop was locked down as a precaution.
And rather than panic, staff continued with their in-store demonstrations in a bid to keep children and customers calm.
We’ve now been told we can leave Hamleys as police say their #OxfordStreet response is now standing down- a lot of relief from those who’ve been locked in here for more than an hour @LBC pic.twitter.com/z3VBR8yZeQ
— Lucy Hough (@lucyhough33) November 24, 2017
A statement from The Met read: "At 16:38hrs on Friday, 24 November police started to receive numerous 999 calls within a short space of time reporting shots fired in a number of locations on Oxford Street and at Oxford Circus underground station.
"Given the nature of the information received, the Met responded in line with our existing operation as if the incident was terrorism, including the deployment of armed officers.
"Officers working with colleagues from British Transport Police carried out an urgent search of the area. No causalities, evidence of any shots fired or any suspects were located by police."
