At least two people were killed and multiple people injured in a terrorist "rampage" at two central London landmarks, reports The Telegraph.
London Bridge and Borough Market have been hit in what appears to be two coordinated attacks south of the River Thames. A separate incident at Vauxhall is not connected, police have said.
The London Bridge area is in lockdown after a white transit van ploughed into a crowd of people at speed shortly after 10 pm Saturday (June 3), sparking a major incident.
Witnesses reported up to 20 people injured. There were also reports of pedestrians being attacked with knives.
One picture from the Borough Market area appears to show a man lying on the ground who appears to have canisters strapped to him.
There were multiple reports of rapid gunfire in what one witness described as “Westminster all over again”.
Holly Jones, a BBC reporter at London Bridge when the first incident happened, said a van had swerved off the road into a crowd of pedestrians.
"A white van driver came speeding - probably about 50mph - veered of the road into the crowds of people who were walking along the pavement," she told BBC News.
Within minutes there were reports of a second incident at Borough Market on the south bank of the Thames. One cab driver said three men ran towards the market stabbing people - including a young girl - as they ran.
An eyewitness on London Bridge told the BBC he saw three men stabbing people indiscriminately, shouting "this is for Allah" in a "rampage".
Police entered bars and restaurants in the Southwark area around 11pm and told customers to get down on the floor amid reports that the incident was still ongoing. People outdoors were told by yelling police officers to run from the area as the atmosphere turned to one of “hysteria”.
Shortly before midnight police said they were attending a third incident in the Vauxhall area.
British Transport Police said they were aware of reports of “multiple” casualties.
Before 1am Police confirmed the attacks at London Bridge and Borough Market were "terrorist incidents"
Prime Minister Theresa May, who was understood to be at her Maidenhead constituency when she was alerted to the news, will chair a Cobra meeting first thing on Sunday morning.
The attack comes less than a fortnight after the Manchester suicide bombing and just three months after a terrorist ploughed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing a policeman to death at Parliament.
US President Donald Trump offered assistance to Britain via Twitter. "Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the UK, we will be there - we are with you. God bless!”.
BDST: 0856 HRS, JUN 4, 2017
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