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Photos from the scene this evening showed the black cab on the pavement with people crowding around, with one victim appearing to be trapped beneath the car. Four people were injured in the incident, one seriously, with three taken to hospital and a fourth treated at the scene, paramedics said. Witness Ed Hoppitt tweeted: “Just came within meters of being hit by a vehicle that mounted the pavement and ploughed into people. “People down under taxi.”

TWITTER The taxi crashed into people in Covent Garden

Another witness wrote: “We just walked outside the theatre & a Taxi just drove into a crowd of people walking past. Inches from us.” A spokesman for the Met Police said there were reports a taxi had come off the road at around 5pm and hit pedestrians. The incident is not being treated as terror-related but the driver has been detained by officers.

Panic as taxi 'ploughs into shoppers' in central London Wed, November 1, 2017 A TAXI has come off the road near central London’s Covent Garden and “ploughed” into shoppers, witnesses say. Play slideshow Twitter 1 of 7 Panic as taxi 'ploughs into shoppers' in central London

London Ambulance Service paramedics also arrived on the scene. A spokesman said: "A man was treated for a serious leg injury and taken to a major trauma centre as a priority. "Two other patients were treated for minor injuries and also taken to hospital. A fourth patient was checked over at the scene." Shocked shoppers said scores of police cars and ambulances descended on the road just moments after the crash. Some people reported they had been locked inside restaurants and bars near the scene.

TWITTER Police at the scene in Covent Garden

Steve Yates said he saw people “running away” from Covent Garden down the Strand in panic. Daan Fuldner tweeted: “A f*****g cab just crashed into the sidewalk at #coventgarden and everyone ran away panicking.” He later wrote: “More police, area around cab clear. “Seems to be no danger but still lots of officers around and keep asking people to leave.”

TWITTER The Strand was closed off

Police quickly cordoned off part of the road. The Strandwas closed in both directions at Southampton Street due to the incident but reopened just after 6pm. Southampton Street itself remained closed off. A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called at 5.01pm on Wednesday, 1 November to reports of a taxi in collision with pedestrians in Southampton Street, WC2.

AFP/GETTY The black cab, with a smashed windscreen, in Covent Garden

“Officers and the other emergency services attended the scene. “We are aware of injuries but await further confirmation. “The driver of the taxi stopped at the scene and has been detained by police.

TWITTER Police say there have been serious injuries