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(Image: TWITTER)

The 23-year-old suspect struck in the south-western town of Montauban shortly after midday.

ISIS supporters have shared news of the attack on chat app Telegram, sparking fears it was linked to the terror group.

Police followed the assailant – believed to have been drunk – after he was seen driving erratically in a VW Golf registered locally.

He then ran towards a couple and tried to wound them too.

The attacker has been shot by police who raced to the incident in the city, north of Toulouse.

He is believed to be in a stable condition in hospital.

A police source said: "The suspect was rushed to hospital, and will be interviewed at length.

"It may be that he was drunk at the time of the attack. He is injured, but his wounds are not life threatening."

The suspect is said to be from the French overseas territory of Reunion Island.

Tensions are running high in France after a string of lonewolf attacks across the country in recent months.

Earlier this month two people died in a market place shooting in Paris.