A number of people have been injured after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, Scotland Yard say.

Armed police, ambulances and firefighters are responding to the incident in central London, which happened shortly after 07:30 BST.

Officers were seen surrounding the vehicle before a man was arrested.

Streets around Millbank, Parliament Square and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off.

Members of the public and press have been moved further back from the area as police put up a Terrorism Act cordon, officers at the scene said.

'Action appeared deliberate'

Images posted to social media showed a man in handcuffs being led away from the car by officers.

The BBC's Callum May, at the scene, said: "Parliament Square is now ringed by blue police tape.

"There is a large group of armed officers in the square. Paramedics are treating a small group of people sitting on the ground outside the Palace of Westminster.

"They are wrapped in silver blankets. One eyewitness, who declined to give his name, said he saw a small hatchback drive into a group of cyclists and then into the barrier outside the Palace of Westminster. The man said that the driver's action appeared deliberate."

Eyewitness Ewalina Ochab said: "I think it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers."

She said: "I was walking on the other side of the road. I heard some noise and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement."

The vehicle did not appear to have a front registration plate when it crashed, she added.

Euronews/NBC UK correspondent Vincent McAviney earlier tweeted a video of the incident as it unfolded.

Scotland Yard said: "At 07:37hrs today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament.

"The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene. A number of pedestrians have been injured. Officers remain at the scene. We will issue further info when we have it."

Westminster station is closed for entry and exit, Transport for London said, and is open only for interchange between lines.

The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete.

BBC.COM