Suspected nail bomb attack on British mosque on day of Lee Rigby funeral

British police said yesterday they were treating a blast outside a mosque in central England as a terrorist incident, saying nails were reportedly found at the scene.

West Midlands police said they were alerted to reports of a loud bang in Tipton near Birmingham shortly after 1pm. No injuries were reported, but the immediate area was evacuated.

"An investigation is being led by the West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit and it is being treated as a terrorist incident," police said.

"Some residents have reported finding debris in the area and finding nails. This is being investigated by forensic officers at the scene."

The incident came on the same day as the funeral of soldier Lee Rigby, whose murder on a south London street in May stoked community tensions.

Two suspects, both British Muslims, face a murder trial in November.