Breaking: "Multiple casualties" reported after London "terror attacks", reports manhunt underway
British police are continuing to respond to major incidents in the British capital.
What we know so far:
* Police were called at around 10.08pm yesterday to reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge.
* Officers then attended a second incident at nearby Borough Market after reports of stabbings. Armed officers responded and shots were fired.
* Police are reportedly searching for a number of people involved in the incidents
* The British Prime Minister will chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee later today in reponse to what has been described as a 'potential terror attack'.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May has said that the "terrible incident" in London is being treated as a "potential act of terrorism".
Dramatic footage shows police storming bar at #LondonBridge after security incident. Latest: https://t.co/txyabZqXR7 pic.twitter.com/H5EgZtl1Ko
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) June 3, 2017
Witnesses have described seeing a speeding vehicle veer into crowds on London Bridge and people being stabbed in Borough Market, as police respond to incidents in the capital.
A van reportedly swerved off the road on London Bridge and in the popular food market in south London, witnesses said they saw a man with a large blade.
Scotland Yard have said they are responding to three incidents, in London Bridge, Borough Market and Vauxhall.
Husband and wife Ben and Natalie told BBC Radio 5 Live they were outside Borough Market, coming up the entrance of the underground when they saw the incident.
Ben said: "We saw people running away and then I saw a man in red with a large blade, at a guess 10 inches long, stabbing a man, about three times.
"It looked like the man had been trying to intervene, but there wasn't much he could do. He was being stabbed quite coldly and he slumped to the ground."
Ben said the man walked away boldly with another person, and went towards the Southwark Tavern. He said they saw a metal chair being thrown towards the man.
"Then we heard three gunshots, definitely gunshots, and we ran."
Police have confirmed that the Vauxhall area, the scene of one the reported incdents, has re-opened.
Police were called to London Bridge at 10.08pm.
British Transport Police said there were reports of "multiple" casualties following the major incident on the bridge.
Nick Brandon of the BTP's force control room said he had received reports of an incident possibly involving a knife and a vehicle.
The seriousness of the injuries is not yet known, he said.
He said trains were not stopping at London Bridge and Borough Market.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is in contact with officials and is being regularly updated on the incident at London Bridge."
Please remain calm, but be alert & vigilant. We are using all necessary skills & resources at #LondonBridge #BoroughMarket #Vauxhall
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
London's metropolitan police have confirmed on social media that they responded to an incident in which a vehicle was in collision with pedestrians on London Bridge.
Info available at this stage: from 2208hrs officers responded to reports of a vehicle in collision with pedestrians on #London Bridge. 1/3
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
Officers have then responded to reports of stabbings in #BoroughMarket. Armed officers responded and shots have been fired. 2/3
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
Officers are now responding to an incident in the #Vauxhall area. 3/3
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
#Londonbridge #boroughmarket #vauxhall pic.twitter.com/a7OciBEBjH
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
There are reports of multiple casualties as a result of an incident which possibly involved a vehicle and a knife in London Bridge, British Transport Police have said.
Police have also said they are investigating another incident in the city's Borough Market
As well as #LondonBridge officers have also responsed to an incident in #BoroughMarket. We have armed police at the scenes.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
Nick Brandon of the BTP's force control room said he had received reports of an incident possibly involving a knife and a vehicle.
The seriousness of the injuries is not yet known, he said.
He said trains were not stopping at London Bridge and Borough Market.
Holly Jones, a BBC reporter at the bridge when the 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.
"He swerved right round me and then hit about five or six people. He hit about two people in front of me and then three behind.
I'd say there are about four severely injured people. They all have paramedics assisting them at the moment."
Ms Jones said police were on the scene within two minutes, quickly followed by ambulances.
Police boats were searching the river - apparently looking for people who may have been thrown off the bridge.
She said that among the injured was a French woman who told her she did not know where the two people who had been with her were.
"She told me in French, 'I don't know where those two other people are'. So the police checking the Thames," Ms Jones said.
"They were right near the edge of the bridge. It looks potentially they could have been thrown over."
Police are treating injured people and carrying them away at the end Thrale Street. Members of the public were told by police to "run as fast as they could" westbound.
Nick Archer, who was in the London Bridge area, told Sky News: "We came out (of a bar) on to the road and looked and looked to my left and there as a guy, I thought he was just drinking but he was lying on the floor.
"And then a couple of seconds later, about three police vans flew past.
"He looked in a bad way."
London Bridge station has been closed at the request of the police.
Armed response vehicles are said to be there "in numbers".
Witneses are reporting that a white van careered off the road into pedestrians and that shooting was heard in the vicinity.
More as we get it …
