Updated 5.02pm

Source: Czech News Agency/Press Association Images

EIGHT PEOPLE ARE dead following a fatal shooting in the Czech Republic town of Uhersky Brod.

The town is around 300 kilometres south west of Prague.

The Czech interior minister Milan Chovanec has confirmed that eight people were killed with the gunman also dead.

The gunman is reported to have taken his own life after the rampage.

The motive for the shooting was not immediately known although there was no indication from police that it was a terrorist act.

MIMOŘÁDNÉ VYSÍLÁNÍ: Střelba v restauraci #Družba v Uherském Brodu má až 9 mrtvých. Čekáme na informace policie. pic.twitter.com/bl6Hxp1OoI — CT24zive (@CT24zive) February 24, 2015 Source: ČT24 /Twitter

Chovanec said the gunman had died, without giving further information, while the local mayor Patrik Kuncar said he had killed himself.

The mayor described the gunman as a resident of the town aged in his 60s, saying he had possible mental health issues.

Kuncar said around 25 shots were heard in the in the Droujba (“Friendship”) restaurant in the town centre while around 20 customers were inside.

Previous reports had suggested that nine people died in the attack.

Police said several people had also been wounded, including a woman hospitalised in a critical condition.

© – AFP 2015, additional reporting by Paul Hosford. First published 4.03pm