Explosions at British consulate in New York

Two small explosions have been reported outside the British consulate in New York.

A bomb squad is on the scene at the corner of 3rd Avenue and East 50th Street in midtown Manhattan.

New York radio news stations quoted police and witnesses as saying there were two small explosions outside the building at 3.35 local time (8.35am Irish time). A number of windows were shattered, but there was no major damage.

"It was detonated in one of the cement flower boxes used as a barrier outside the building," a New York police spokesman said. "There was some damage to the front window but there are no reports of any injuries at this stage."

There are no details yet as to the cause of the explosion.