FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Make the most of your money by signing up to our newsletter fornow We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Explosion took place at Parsons Green tube station in West ondon after 8am on Friday, September 15

Officials said 29 people had been hospitalised in the blast

ISIS have claimed responsibility for the attack

Police are still searching for one suspect and have launched a major manhunt

Theresa May has condemned the "cowardly" attack

Britain's terror threat level has been raised to critical from severe The explosion devastated the District line train, bound for central London, which had just stopped at Parsons Green station in west London at just gone 8am. Emergency services including police, fire and ambulance raced to the scene after the improvised explosive device detonated in a carriage. Witnesses said they saw a white "builder's bucket" in a supermarket bag, and pictures online appeared to show wires protruding from it on the floor of a carriage. Reports suggested the device had a timer.

REUTERS / PA / TWITTER / SYLVAIN PENNIC An explosion in Parsons Green tube station has left several injured - the object on the left erupted

Officials said 29 people had been hospitalised in the explosion, which police are treating as a terror attack, and witnesses described scenes of terror and panic as the blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through the carriage. At least one child was hurt after a photo emerged of a schoolgirl with burned legs. Almost half of the injured were hurt in a stampede following the explosion. The rest suffered burns when the homemade device exploded. One witness, Richard Aylmer-Hall said: "I was blissfully reading my paper and listening to a podcast and suddenly the whole world charged past me down the platform, down the Tube. "There was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. "It was an absolutely packed, rush-hour District Line train from Wimbledon to Edgware Road. "I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets.

Parsons Green terror attack, pictures from the scene Fri, September 15, 2017 Shocking pictures after many people have been injured after an explosion on Tube train at Parsons Green, London Play slideshow Twitter/gacv80 1 of 52 Victim of the Parsons Green explosion

"Some people got pushed over and trampled on, I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews. "Since then, every emergency vehicle in London has gone past me, fire engines, ambulances, every type of police vehicle. "I don't think anyone was hurt by the actual device or whatever it was." Another passenger said: “I heard a really loud explosion - when I looked back there appeared to be a bag but I don't know if it's associated with it. "I saw people with minor injuries, burnings to the face, arms, legs, multiple casualties in that way. "People were helping each other." Ryan Barnett was caught up in the crush in the stairwell of the Tube station. He heard of victims with burn injuries and reported seeing some commuters taking selfies on the platform.

Twitter/gacv80 Parsons Green attack: A woman is treated following the Tube train explosion

Mr Barnett said: “I was sitting there, headphones in, at Parsons Green, the doors open fine, I'm not really paying attention and all of a sudden hundreds of people run past me screaming a mixture of 'stampede', 'attack', 'terrorist', 'explosion', 'get off the train', 'everyone run'. “Parsons Green station has a staircase at the front of the carriage where the train pulls up - I'm running and keeping my head down because there might be gunfire and on to the staircase. "But when I was on the staircase, the stewards and other passengers, they are shouting 'stop, stop, stop', so I ended up squashed on the staircase, people were falling over, people fainting, crying, there were little kids clinging on to the back of me. "It is absolute chaos, it was quite scary because at one stage we thought we might be trapped there - I heard a pregnant woman lost her shoes and had fallen over." A third witness said she saw “blood on the floor” and “people running down the stairs screaming 'get out’”. Following the terrifying attack, Prime Minister Theresa May chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee this afternoon at Downing Street. And she condemned the "cowardly" attack after hosting a Cobra meeting to discuss the UK's next steps, saying it involved a device "clearly intended to cause significant harm".

There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. Witness Richard Aylmer-Hall

The Prime Minister said the terror threat level would remain at severe - meaning an attack is highly likely - but would be kept under review as the investigation progresses. She added there would be an increased armed police presence on the transport network in London, saying: "The police and the security services are obviously doing all the work to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack.” But she also hit out at Donald Trump, after he lashed out at Scotland Yard in the wake of the attack and described the bomber as a “loser”. He said: “Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! “Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!”

SKY Parsons Green explosion: Passengers being evacuated from the train following the blast

Mrs May said: "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.” In response to the US president's remarks, London police said "any speculation is unhelpful". Express.co.uk asked whether authorities knew the identity of the assailant prior to the attack but Met Police confirmed they had no idea who the suspect was at that point. Police have since identified a man believed to be the bomber after looking through CCTV footage but they have not yet released any further information about the bomber. The attacker is still at large but police have launched a major manhunt to bring the bomber to justice. Local MP Greg Hands said: “[If] the perpetrator is still at large… capturing the perpetrator and attending to those injured must be the priority.” Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "I’m in contact with @metpoliceuk and emergency services about the incident at Parsons Green. Follow @metpoliceuk for updates & advice.”

PA London terror attack: An injured woman being helped from the scene

He later said: “Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. “As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism." Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also urged people to "keep calm" and listen to officials. Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney was one of the first foreign officials to publicly comment on the attack. He tweeted: “Thoughts and sympathy with London again this morning after terror attack on Underground -a number of injuries, no Irish reported as injured.” The EU’s Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted: “Solidarity with the people of #London & thoughts with those injured. Let's work together to defeat those who seek to terrorise us.”

REUTERS Parsons Green explosion: A white bucket in a Lidl bag exploded on a Tube train this morning

It is now believed the bomb was being operated by timer. It is unknown whether the attacker was with the device when it exploded. Experts now believe the device malfunctioned and only the smaller detonator ignited and not the main charge. Shocked commuters took to Twitter to describe the scene. One said: "What the f**k is happening at Parsons Green - never been so scared - can we get an announcement???" Another said: “Horror on District Line at Parsons Green due to explosion / fire on train. “People struggling to get out of the station.” A third said: “What's happening at Parsons Green, panic on the platform reports of fire or explosion in a bag. No announcements.”

REUTERS Parsons Green explosion: Two women crying near the scene of this morning's incident

Aaron Butterfield, a production manager, said he saw people "crawling over one another" in panic as they tried to get out of the station. He said police told him a second device had been found and a man had been seen with a knife. Mr Butterfield had been caught up in the panic as he tried to enter the station on his way to work. He said: "People weren't even running, they were literally crawling over one another and just fleeing I guess. "We were told [by police] there had been an explosion on a District Line train and someone was running around with a knife. "Then we have just been told there's another explosive device. "It's been really frightening and very confusing especially as no-one really knows what's going on."

PA Witnesses reported an explosion and a stampede in Parsons Green this morning

Mrs May's Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Once more people going about their everyday lives have been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way. "My thoughts are with all those injured and affected. "The police and emergency services were quickly on the scene and I would like to pay tribute again to their professionalism and tireless commitment. "I am receiving regular updates on what is an ongoing and active investigation. "I would urge Londoners to remain alert and assist the police and emergency services as much as they can."

GETTY Parsons Green explosion: A police officer at the scene of the incident

PA Parsons Green explosion: Several people have been hurt in an explosion this morning

The Met Police have confirmed they are treating the explosion as a terror attack. A spokesman said: "Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command are investigating after an incident on a London tube train this morning. "Police were called at approximately 08:20hrs on Friday, 15 September to Parsons Green Underground Station following reports of a fire on the train. "Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for CT policing, has declared it a terrorist incident. "Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police attended the scene, along with colleagues from the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. "At present we are aware of a number of people who have suffered injuries. “It is too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command.

"The station remains cordoned off and we are advising people to avoid the area. "Anyone who has information that would assist detectives is urged to contact the hotline 0800 789 321; if it's an emergency always call 999. "Anyone with images from the scene is asked to upload them to www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk "We urge the public to remain calm but alert and if you have any concerns, see or hear anything suspicious then contact police." The London Fire Brigade said “six fire engines, two fire rescue unit and around 50 firefighters and specialist officers” were sent to the scene.

EXPRESS The explosion occurred at the south-west London tube station of Parsons Green