Police accidentally shot a member of the public during the response to last night's terror attack in London.

Mark Rowley, Assistant Commission of the Metropolitan Police, made the admission while providing an update on the atrocity which killed at least seven people and injured at least 48, leaving 21 fighting for their lives in hospital.

“As the officers confronted a terrorist, a member of the public also suffered a gunshot wound,“ he said, adding: ”Although the injuries are not critical in nature, they are in hospital receiving medical attention.”

He also revealed officers fired an “unprecedented” 50 bullets as they confronted the three attackers, who had used a van to ram pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing random passers-by.

Police fired to kill the three London Bridge terrorists because they believed the attackers were wearing suicide belts, the country's head of counter-terrorism said.

“Eight police firearms officers discharged their weapons. Whilst this will be subject to an investigation by the IPCC, our initial assessment is in the region of 50 rounds - in the region of 50 bullets - were fired by those eight officers," Mr Rowley added.

London Bridge Terror Attack Show all 16 1 /16 London Bridge Terror Attack London Bridge Terror Attack Armed police on Borough High Street as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Armed Police talk to members of the public outside London Bridge Hospital as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Police Officers outside the Barrowboy and Banker Public House on Borough High Street as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Armed Police talk to members of the public outside London Bridge Hospital as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Armed police on Borough High Street as police deal with a 'major incident' at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Emergency services near the scene of the incident Screengrab London Bridge Terror Attack People run down Borough High Street as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge Reuters London Bridge Terror Attack Emergency services arrive at the scene near Borough market at London Bridge Carl Court/Getty Images London Bridge Terror Attack Emergency personnel on London Bridge as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Police sniffer dogs on London Bridge as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack A second helicopter lands on London Bridge as police are responding to three incidents in the capital, amid reports that a vehicle collided with pedestrians on London Bridge, Scotland Yard said. Officers are dealing with reports of stabbings in Borough Market, where armed officers attended and shots were fired. They are also at an incident in the Vauxhall area PA London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London REUTERS London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain Reuters London Bridge Terror Attack A police officer escorts members of the public to safety at London Bridge Getty Images London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain Reuters London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain Reuters

“The three attackers were shot dead. The situation these officers were confronted with was critical - a matter of life and death - three armed men wearing what appeared to be suicide belts.”

The white transit-style van drove into a crowd of people “at about 50mph”, according to witnesses, before continuing onto nearby Borough Market where three men began attacking people. Three suspects were shot dead by armed police.