Police officers in London have arrested five people after a fight at a Battersea hotel ended with a car being ploughed into several people outside, injuring seven.

The Metropolitan Police are reportedly hunting the driver, who drove into the group during an altercation outside the Hotel Rafayel and subseuqently “fled the scene”.

The altercation is said to have followed a row in a function room at the hotel which was hosting a birthday party, according to staff who spoke to the Daily Mirror, who said they had asked around twenty attendees to “chill” and “get some fresh air” after arguing outdoors.

How the dispute escalated into a vehicle attack — assuming the driver was involved in it — remains unclear, but it was ill-tempered enough that several of the people involved in it were arrested by police officers, who had been called prior to the car ramming.

“A total of five males – no further details – have been arrested on suspicion of affray and remain in custody,” the Met confirmed in an official statement, asking anyone with information about the incident to “contact officers from the South West Command Unit via 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD9191/13Jul,” or else call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police have rescinded an earlier statement indicating that a number of people had been arrested for attempted murder, although they have disclosed that one of the seven victims — a man in his twenties — has a head injury and his “condition awaits”.

Photographs from the scene published by the Mirror show a 4×4 car smashed into a wall and vehicle parts strewn across the road, suggesting a collision of some force, along with a damaged bicycle believed to belong to a passing cyclist who was caught up in the attack.

The incident is not thought to be terror-related.

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