Security scare closes UK embassy

The closed embassy is in Sofia

The British Embassy in Bulgaria is to be closed on Thursday for security reasons, the Foreign Office has said.

A spokesman said the closure in the capital Sofia was a precaution as a result of information received.

Security officials in the UK have been on a high state of alert for more than a week, due to terror intelligence.

Last Thursday, suicide bombers killed more than 30 people in Istanbul when they attacked the British consulate and the London-based HSBC bank.

So far, 12 people have been charged in connection with the attacks.

The Foreign Office has tightened its travel advice to Britons, warning them to stay away from major Turkish cities.