PART of a Hampshire town was sealed off today by police investigating an attempted armed robbery in which two men were shot dead.

Shaftesbury Avenue, Chandler's Ford, was closed while officers from the Metropolitan Police recovered what was described as an abandoned vehicle.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the vehicle would be taken away and examined for clues.

The move comes six days after two suspected robbers were shot dead by the Flying Squad outside the HSBC bank in Winchester Road, Chandler's Ford.

Andrew Markland, 36, and Mark Nunes, 35, both from south London, were killed while attempting to steal cash from a Securicor van that was transporting money to the bank.

A third man, Terence Wallace, 25, also from south London, was arrested and charged with attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.