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The horror incident happened in the city of Münster this afternoon.

Police have confirmed at least three people have been killed, with reports stating dozens of people were hit and at least six are in a critical condition.

They were sitting outside a restaurant in the city's Kiepenkerl Square when the large truck ploughed into tables and chairs.

There were fears explosives may have been planted the area, with reports stating a number of "suspicious packages" were found inside the vehicle.

Gruesome pictures show scenes of devastation just moments after the crash, with cafe furniture lying scattered.

People can also be seen tending those injured lying on the floor.

Cops have said the driver is believed to be a 48-year-old German man suffering from "psychological" issues, who committed suicide by shooting himself in the head minutes after the crash.

(Image: TWITTER) (Image: TWITTER)

Local news reports initially stated cops were treating the incident as a possible terror attack, although this later appeared to not be the case.

A police helicopter spent hours hovering over the historic old town amid fears other people were in the van and fled the scene.

A spokesman for Munster Police said: "There are several dead, probably including the suspect."

A security source added: "The scenario is such that an attack cannot be ruled out."

(Image: DS)

Cops admitted the "situation is confusing" in a number of tweets asking people to avoid the area.

A spokesman for the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Interior said there is "a major situation in which there were probably some deaths and injuries".

The incident bears striking similarities to a terror attack in Berlin in December 2016 that killed 12 people.

Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links, hijacked a truck and then ploughed it into a crowded marketplace.

Erich Rettinghaus, chairman of German Police Union in the North-Rhine-Westphalia region, said: "First of all we are mourning for the victims and injured people.

“Our condolences to all the injured people and the family of the dead and injured and we also wish a speedy recovery.

“There has always been a high possibility of attacks in all of Germany.

"Now it has also hit North-Rhine-Westphalia, so far we have always been able to prevent planned attacks in advance, this time we failed.

“We now have to investigate and arrest those responsible to avoid further attacks."