London’s Tower Bridge has become stuck open causing major traffic issues in the capital.
The famous landmark was scheduled to open on Monday to allow a large wooden tall ship through, but it appears to have become jammed in place.
City of London Police said the 127-year-old crossing had been closed to both traffic and pedestrians “due to technical failure”.
Drivers have been warned to avoid the area.
Approach roads to the bridge have been shut while repairs are carried out.
The two sides of the crossing became stuck at about 14:30 BST.
Transport for London (TfL) reported that traffic had been slow moving on both sides of the river during the afternoon.
The bridge, which took eight years to build and opened in 1894, normally opens about 800 times every year.
It previously got jammed in August last year when a mechanical fault meant it was stuck open for more than an hour.
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation, which manages the bridge, said investigations into the failure were taking place but the source of the fault was currently unknown.
“We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” they added.
(BBC)