Royal Navy removes WWII bomb from River Thames in London

Part of the Victoria Embankment in central London is cordoned off by police as a suspected unexploded World War II bomb was found in the River Thames, forcing the closure of Waterloo and Westminster bridges Thursday Jan. 19, 2017. The device was found in the river by Victoria Embankment. ( Jonathan Brady/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

A police officer outside Embankment tube station in central London stops pedestrians from using the Hungerford Bridge, as a suspected unexploded World War II bomb has been found in the River Thames, forcing the closure of Waterloo and Westminster bridges Thursday Jan. 19, 2017. The device was found in the river by Victoria Embankment. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Shutters close off one of the exits of Charing Cross station in London, as a suspected unexploded World War II bomb was found in the River Thames, forcing the closure of Waterloo and Westminster bridges Thursday Jan. 19, 2017. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Britain's Royal Navy has removed a suspected World War II bomb whose discovery in the River Thames shut down a chunk of central London.

The Metropolitan Police force says that officers were called Thursday afternoon "to reports of suspected World War II ordnance in the river" near the Houses of Parliament.

Police cordoned off roads in the area and closed two bridges over the river. Nearby Westminster subway station also was shut.

Navy disposal teams took away the 2-foot by 1-foot (60-centimeter by 30-centimeter) device early Friday.

London was heavily bombed by Nazi Germany during the war, and unexploded munitions are still sometimes found.