AT least two people have died after a knifeman brought terror to the heart of Westminster, mowing down pedestrians then stabbing a policeman before being shot by armed officers.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror as the attacker was shot several times as he approached a second officer within yards of the Houses of Parliament.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror as the attacker was shot several times as he approached a second officer within yards of the Houses of Parliament.
The attacker mowed down several pedestrians as he drove a grey Hyundai i40 across Westminster Bridge before crashing it into railings then running through the gates of the Palace of Westminster and stabbing the officer.
Prime Minister Theresa May was seen being ushered into a silver Jaguar in the grounds of the palace as what sounded like gunfire rang out at around 2.45pm.
A Downing Street source confirmed she was "OK".
Both St Helens MPs were in Parliament, which is now in lockdown, at the time of the incident.
St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer wrote on Twitter she was "safely locked down in parliament", while St Helens North MP Conor McGinn sent his prayers out to those affected.
Safely locked down in Parliament. But my heart goes out to staff, tourists & Police etc just going about their business.
— Marie Rimmer MP (@MarieRimmerMP) March 22, 2017
An air ambulance landed in Parliament Square and a regular ambulance came in through the front gates as medics rushed to help the injured people.
Armed police cleared the area around the incident and Parliament Square was closed to traffic while Parliament went into lockdown.
As the sitting in the House of Commons was suspended, Commons Leader David Lidington told MPs: "What I am able to say to the House is there has been a serious incident within the estate.
"It seems that a police officer has been stabbed, that the alleged assailant was shot by armed police.
"An air ambulance is currently attending the scene to remove the casualties."
Witnesses described seeing a middle-aged man carrying a knife and running.
Eyewitness Rick Longley described the attack. "We were just walking up to the station and there was a loud bang and a guy, someone, crashed a car and took some pedestrians out.
"They were just laying there and then the whole crowd just surged around the corner by the gates just opposite Big Ben.
"A guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife and just started plunging it into the policeman.
"I have never seen anything like that. I just can't believe what I just saw."
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