The Foreign Office is investigating reports that explosives had been sent to Bahrain from Britain.

It was reported from the Gulf kingdom that a package containing explosives sent to the country's airport from Britain via Dubai had been destroyed.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the reports and looking into them further."

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the incident and are investigating. We do not comment on security matters."

Reports from Bahrain have said that security has been boosted sharply across the kingdom during annual Shiite religious ceremonies.

The country's interior ministry said on Sunday that a blast had occurred inside a minibus parked near the British Embassy, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries.

The explosion took place in a public parking area near the British diplomatic compound in the capital Manama.

Bahrain's majority Shias began an uprising in February seeking greater rights from the kingdom's Sunni rulers.

An independent commission issued a report last month accusing security forces of abuses such as torture against suspected protesters.