Any Londoner will tell you you can't leave your car for a minute without incurring the wrath of the capital's traffic wardens, The Daily Mail reports.

One poor tourist learned today you risk more than a fine when you park illegally on the city's streets.

Anti-terrorist police evacuated Parliament Square and carried out a controlled explosion on Nima Hosseini Razi's dark blue Ford Mondeo after he abandoned it just yards from the House of Commons and Westminster Abbey.

When Mr Razi's car broke down in Storey's Gate, he slipped a note on the dashboard explaining 'this car is broken. I am just waiting for the AA to arrive. Please do not fine! Thank you, yours sincerely'.

He then decided to pay a visit to Buckingham Palace, just a five minute stroll away.

While he was gone, police spotted the car and deciding it was a security risk to the nearby Houses of Parliament, evacuated the area so they could carry out a controlled explosion.

When Mr Razi - a MBA student at the University of Wales visiting London for just 24 hours - returned from his sightseeing trip, he found swarms of police officers scouring the remains of his mangled car.

To add insult to injury - a traffic warden arrived on the scene and issued him a ticket, before the Mondeo was towed away.