Woman, 38, dies in Greece after bomb she was carrying exploded in her hands

A woman has died in Greece after a bomb she was carrying exploded in her hands.

The explosion occurred at around 5am today (3 May) in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, where a 38-year-old woman was blown up by her own bomb, which police said she appeared to be trying to place on a cash machine outside a bank.

A number of buildings and vehicles were damaged by the explosion that killed the woman, and police said that she was known to them after having taken part in several robberies before.

"It appears that she was carrying an explosive device and planned to plant it a bank's ATM," a police official told Reuters of the sudden blast.

"Something went wrong and it exploded in her hands."

Police say they knew about the woman who died in the blast (SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The woman who died is under investigation for possible ties to extremist groups.

Following the explosion this morning, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated travel advice for tourists planning on visiting Greece.

Their updated terrorism warning sounds the alarm to potential visitors to the Mediterranean country that 'terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Greece'.

Official guidance for anyone attempting to travel to Greece says: "Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals.

"There have been several attacks involving explosives and automatic weapons against Greek institutions, shopping malls, banks, media offices, diplomatic premises and the police."

Advice to any Brits in the Thessaloniki area following today's explosion is to 'take care and follow the advice of the local authorities.'

Police are investigating the woman's possible links to extremist groups (KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images)

The Foreign Office also warns visitors to Greece to be wary of sudden protests, demonstrations and strikes which can spring up with little warning.

According to official advice, the capital city of Athens is the most likely place someone would encounter these sorts of risks.

The Mirror reports that this explosion follows a blast from a few weeks ago, which occurred near the offices of Greece's main train operator.

That explosion had caused damage but resulted in no injuries, as those claiming responsibility for the bomb had called the media around 40 minutes before the devices went off to send out a warning.

A group called Revolutionary Class Struggle claimed responsibility for the previous blast and dedicated the explosion to 'the Palestinian people and their heroic resistance.'

They also paid tribute to a man who was killed last year when the bomb he was building exploded in a home in Athens.