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Nine people were taken to hospital after a car ploughed into pedestrians outside London's famous Natural History Museum.

Shocked eyewitnesses described how there was a "big bang" as a vehicle "drove into people" near the museum in South Kensington this afternoon.

Police have now confirmed it is not being treated as a terror attack.

Families were seen running in terror and the surrounding area - one of the capital's busiest tourist hubs - was evacuated by police after a car mounted the pavement.

The London Ambulance Service has confirmed 11 people were treated at the scene, while nine of them were taken to hospital.

Dramatic footage appeared to show a man being pinned on the ground by security officers, with blood spattered on the street beneath his chin.

Were you in the area at the time of the crash? Email webnews@trinitymirror.com or call 0207 293 3018

(Image: Stefano Sutterâ€ / @StefanoSutter) (Image: Twitter) (Image: Stefano Sutterâ€ / @StefanoSutter) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: Twitter)

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In the video a man could be seen being held on the floor at the scene in west London, surrounded by members of the public and stationary vehicles.

Behind him, what is believed to be a Toyota Prius minicab appeared to have collided with a silver Vauxhall saloon.

A statement from Scotland Yard said: "11 people were found at the scene with varying injuries and nine of them have been taken to hospital, and this includes the man that was detained by police.

"Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

"The man detained by officers is currently under arrest and is in custody at a north London police station.

"The incident is a road traffic investigation and not a terrorist-related incident."

(Image: AFP) (Image: AFP) (Image: AFP) (Image: PA)

Pictures from the scene showed street damage and a huge police presence in the capital's museum district, home to the NHM, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Counter-terror police had earlier assessed the incident before the Metropolitan Police confirmed a terrorism investigation had not been opened.

Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted: "My thanks to the first responders at this incident this afternoon and the actions of members of the public. My thoughts are with the injured."

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: "Very concerning reports from outside the Natural History Museum.

"My thoughts are with those injured and our thanks to the emergency services."

(Image: REX/Shutterstock) (Image: REUTERS)

The area is a magnet for tourists, including families with young children.

Downing Street said that Prime Minister Theresa May is being kept up to date with developments.

Eyewitnesses took to social media as the alleged smash unfolded shortly before 2.30pm.

(Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter) (Image: Google Maps) (Image: REUTERS)

Eyewitness Damian Hackett told how panic broke out when armed officers ordered them ton run away from the collision scene.

He told the BBC: "The atmosphere changed from being calm to people fleeing for their lives.

"The panic rippled across the crowd. "People were almost queuing up to look (at the car) but then the other police, the ones with facemasks and armed with guns started to charge towards the crowd shouting at us to run.

"Tables were being knocked over at restaurants and people were told to keep running, to not stop running. No-one was going to ignore them."

(Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter) (Image: PA)

Filmmaker and co-director of The Plastic Tide Ellie Mackay, 29, was working in her apartment just 50 metres from the incident when she heard the crash.

She said: "I was sat at my desk when I heard the crash. There was a loud bang, as the car smashed into others.

"At first I didn't take much notice, but all of a sudden people started running away and I knew it wasn't a normal accident.

"I saw a dad dragging his kids along Exhibition Road and urging them to hurry up, and then they were followed by streams of people.

"They were screaming and running like a typical worst nightmare scenario. It put me in mind of Las Vegas.

"Then the alarm went off in South Kensington station and everyone began to evacuate. Police officers were going into the restaurants and telling people to leave.

"Within what seemed like seconds there was a helicopter overhead and four or five vans of armed police racing down the streets, as well as bomb disposal units. I was impressed by how fast they were to respond."

Another witness wrote on Twitter: "Just witnessed a car drive into people in London. Safe for now please message your friends if they’re here near the national museum."

Gina Duggan wrote: "Police have blocked off the road right in front of the natural history museum towards south ken station."

Another Twitter user, Afra Wang, posted a picture of emergency services on Twitter, writing: "A crime scene? Full armed police locked the whole area out outside of @V-and-A in London.

"The helicopter above us doesn't seem to leave."

Speaking to LBC's Ian Payne, eyewitnesses claimed there was a "really big bang". They also said "thousands" of people were in the area at the time of the crash.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS)

(Image: Twitter)

(Image: REUTERS)

Peter McKenna, deputy director of operations at London Ambulance Service said: “We sent multiple resources to the scene, including our hazardous area response team, ambulance crews, paramedics in fast response cars and incident response officers.

“We treated 11 patients, mostly for leg and head injuries, and took nine of them to hospital.

“We have worked closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene, with our priority being to get people to safety and ensure they received the medical help they needed as quickly as possible.”

The Met Police tweeted this afternoon: "A number of people have been injured Exhibition Road, South Kensington." The force added: "A man has been detained by police."

Witnesses warned of heavy traffic in the area, with Cromwell Road "closed in both directions".

A Natural History Museum spokeswoman told Mirror Online that the attraction remains open, although two entrances had been closed.

Officials at the historic museum had earlier told Reuters that no one was being allowed into the building and people were being let out through a different exit.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: Twitter)

In a later statement, a museum spokeswoman said: "A vehicle has collided with pedestrians near the Natural History Museum entrance at Exhibition Road.

"The Museum's visitors and staff are always our first priority.

"We are working with emergency services to assess the incident and we are doing all we can."

The nearby Science Museum tweeted: "There has been a serious incident on Exhibition Road, not far from the museum. We will share an update shortly."

A subsequent post read: "The museum remains open but on the advice of the police we are not allowing additional visitors to enter at this time."

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: Twitter)

(Image: Twitter)

A BBC reporter at the scene said she could see a car diagonally across the road surrounded by a crowd of people with one or two on the ground. She said she was told by police injuries sustained were minor.

In a statement in the immediate aftermath of the crash, the Met said: "Police were called at 1421 on Saturday, 7 October to reports of a collision in Exhibition Road, South Kensington.

"It is believed that a number of pedestrians have been injured.

"Officers are on scene, and the London Ambulance Service have been called.

"A man (no further dets) has been detained at the scene.

"Enquiries to establish the circumstances and motive are underway.

(Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter)

"If you have any information about this incident, please call 101."

The Ambulance Service said it was responding to the incident.

The Natural History Museum attracts more than five millions visitors a year.

It is located in the capital's museum district in the affluent area of South Kensington.

The district is also home to the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Britain is on its second highest security alert level, meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely, and there have been five attacks already this year, three involving a vehicle.

(Image: PA)

In March, a man drove a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge killing four before stabbing a police officer to death in the grounds of parliament.

Three Islamist militants drove into people on London Bridge in June before stabbing people at nearby restaurants and bars, killing eight.

And the same month, a van was driven into worshippers near a mosque in north London which left one man dead.