A man has been arrested after members of the public said a knife-wielding man drove at a crowd of people, including children, in Canterbury, Kent.

Kent police described the incident, which occurred on Monday evening in Pilckem Close, as an “altercation” and said they were not treating it as a terrorist incident. Armed police attended the scene and a 33-year-old man was arrested. No injuries were reported.

An unnamed woman told Kent Online she saw two men arguing. “I saw a man drive at high speed, stop his car and step out,” she said. “He told the other guy he was going to stab him with a kitchen knife.

“The other guy pushed the man back into his car and he screeched off again. But he then spun the car round and drove rapidly back up the road trying to run this man and all that was around him down. There were children everywhere.”

She said terrified children ran away as the man brandished the knife. A photograph published on Kent Online showed him apparently waving the weapon out of the open window of his car. Witnesses said he sped off from the scene.

The incident occurred on a housing estate formerly used to provide accommodation for the families of soldiers at neighbouring Howe barracks, before the barracks closed in February 2015. Last year Redbridge council outbid Canterbury city council to buy the ex-army properties to house people from the north-east London borough who were living in temporary accommodation.

A police spokesman said: “Kent police was called to an altercation in Pilckem Close, Canterbury at 7.22pm on Monday 19 June 2017. A 33-year-old man from Canterbury has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody. No injuries have been reported and enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.

“Officers believe there was a number of people in the area at the time who may have information that can help with enquiries. Anyone with information is urged to call the appeal line as soon as possible on 01843 222289 quoting reference 19-1232 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”