Police shot a man as they arrested a group for allegedly holding a woman captive, Scotland Yard has said.

The force was responding to reports of the women being held inside a south London pub by armed men.

Officers, including armed officers, attended the scene and stopped a car near to the junction with Blackheath Hill, close to the Anchor pub.

This car had been driven the short distance away.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound after an officer unintentionally fired his weapon near Blackheath, in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

A statement from Scotland Yard said: "During the vehicle stop, a police firearm was unintentionally discharged. One man - [A] believed to be aged in his 20s - was taken to a south hospital suffering a gunshot injury. His condition has been assessed as not life-threatening or life-changing. The man has been arrested, but remains in hospital."

Police arrested him and six others.

Five were detained on suspicion of false imprisonment and one for possession of an offensive weapon.

Police did not say why the wounded man was arrested.

Shortly before 4am, armed officers responded to a report of concern for the welfare of a woman in a property in Lewisham Road as well as reports of a man with a gun, the Metropolitan Police said.

The Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have been informed.

The IOPC have launched an independent investigation into the discharge of the police firearm.

The Met is urging the female who called police at around 3.55am on Saturday morning from a phone box on Morden Hill, just off Lewisham Road, to make contact again by calling 101 quoting CAD 3359/9Feb.

Detective Chief Inspector James Stanyer of South East CID said: It is vital that we hear again from the original caller in this case. Officers, including armed police, rightly deployed urgently to the area following her phone call, and this has resulted in a number of searches and seven people being arrested.

“Whatever the circumstances of the call, it is important that this female calls police again as soon as possible.”