Armed officers swarmed on Merrylands police station in western Sydney, Australia, after the man rammed the vehicle through security barriers and drove into its underground car park.

Police sources said he then claimed he had a bomb and tried to detonate a large number of gas cannisters stored inside it but failed to do so, describing the incident as an "attempted terror attack". It is believed that he sustained burns during the incident, and that no police officers were injured.

The man was arrested by police and is now in custody, according to the ABC news network. Witnesses described him as being in his 60s and it is thought he is well-known to police.

Specialist officers from the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit are on scene and are working to ensure that all explosive materials are safe.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the man tried to set himself and his car on fire but failed, and was arrested at gunpoint.

The paper cited a police source saying it was a "very deliberate attack on the station" and that officers are trying to work out the extent of the man's plans.

Channel 7 News tweeted: "It is believed a threat was made at the police station that there would be a large explosion."