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Nine people have been killed and many more injured after a lorry ploughed into crowds at Christmas market in Germany.

Police confirmed the deaths and said a passenger in the truck had died "on the spot" as the vehicle careered into wooden stalls.

Up to 50 people were injured in the incident, which police initially said they suspected was carried out deliberately, at the tourist hotspot in Berlin on Monday evening.

However, officers later added that investigations were taking place to establish whether it was an accident or a targeted attack.

It is understood the incident took place at a market outside the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, with images on social media showing the damaged truck and debris.

It is believed hundreds of people would have been making their way towards the market in the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue in the west of the city.

Berlin terror attack: Horror as lorry ploughs into crowds 24 show all Berlin terror attack: Horror as lorry ploughs into crowds 1/24 A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters 2/24 A trail of devastation is left behind, the day after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market Markus Schreiber/AP 3/24 Debris at the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Markus Schreiber/AP 4/24 Firefighters look at the debris after the trailer has been towed away from the crime scene in Berlin Markus Schreiber/AP 5/24 The damaged towing truck is towed away Matthias Schrader/AP 6/24 A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 7/24 A damaged windscreen of a truck which ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters 8/24 The smashed window of the cabin of a truck which ran into a crowded Christmas market Markus Schreiber/AP 9/24 A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters 10/24 Rescue workers gather outside a tent in the area after a lorry truck ploughed through a Christmas market Sean Gallup/Getty Images 11/24 An aerial view shows the extent of the damage at the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Bernd von Jutrczenka/EPA 12/24 A candle and flowers are seen near the site where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Berlin Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 13/24 Smash: The truck that crashed into a Christmas market, close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin. Clemens Bilan/EPA 14/24 Investigation: A German police officer looks into a truck at a Berlin Christmas market following an accident with the truck on Breitscheidplatz square Christian Mang/Reuters 15/24 Horror crash: The damaged front part of a truck is pictured at the scene after it crashed into a Christmas market, Rainer Jensen/EPA 16/24 Security: Policemen and rescue workers secure the site next to a truck at the scene, after it crashed into a Christmas market. Rainer Jensen/EPA 17/24 Mayor: Berlin's Mayor Michael Mueller (left) speaks to the media at the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market, close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin, Germany. Maurizio Gambarini/EPA 18/24 Christmas: Parts of a Christmas market decoration stick in the windscreen of a truck following an accident. Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 19/24 Inspection: A specialist in a protective suit talks to police near a truck at a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany. Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters 20/24 Wounded: An injured person is carried on an stretcher by fireman at the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market Clemens Bilan/EPA 21/24 Christmas market: German police officers secure the site of an accident with a truck at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square near the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue Christian Mang/Reuters 22/24 Forensic: Experts of the police investigate the crime scene after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market and killed several people in Berlin, Germany. Michael Sohn/AP 23/24 Survivors: A survivor of an accident with a Polish truck is rescued on a stretcher near a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square near the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 24/24 Injured: Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher in the area after a lorry truck ploughed through a Christmas market Sean Gallup/Getty Images 1/24 A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters 2/24 A trail of devastation is left behind, the day after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market Markus Schreiber/AP 3/24 Debris at the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Markus Schreiber/AP 4/24 Firefighters look at the debris after the trailer has been towed away from the crime scene in Berlin Markus Schreiber/AP 5/24 The damaged towing truck is towed away Matthias Schrader/AP 6/24 A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 7/24 A damaged windscreen of a truck which ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters 8/24 The smashed window of the cabin of a truck which ran into a crowded Christmas market Markus Schreiber/AP 9/24 A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters 10/24 Rescue workers gather outside a tent in the area after a lorry truck ploughed through a Christmas market Sean Gallup/Getty Images 11/24 An aerial view shows the extent of the damage at the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Bernd von Jutrczenka/EPA 12/24 A candle and flowers are seen near the site where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Berlin Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 13/24 Smash: The truck that crashed into a Christmas market, close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin. Clemens Bilan/EPA 14/24 Investigation: A German police officer looks into a truck at a Berlin Christmas market following an accident with the truck on Breitscheidplatz square Christian Mang/Reuters 15/24 Horror crash: The damaged front part of a truck is pictured at the scene after it crashed into a Christmas market, Rainer Jensen/EPA 16/24 Security: Policemen and rescue workers secure the site next to a truck at the scene, after it crashed into a Christmas market. Rainer Jensen/EPA 17/24 Mayor: Berlin's Mayor Michael Mueller (left) speaks to the media at the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market, close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin, Germany. Maurizio Gambarini/EPA 18/24 Christmas: Parts of a Christmas market decoration stick in the windscreen of a truck following an accident. Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 19/24 Inspection: A specialist in a protective suit talks to police near a truck at a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany. Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters 20/24 Wounded: An injured person is carried on an stretcher by fireman at the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market Clemens Bilan/EPA 21/24 Christmas market: German police officers secure the site of an accident with a truck at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square near the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue Christian Mang/Reuters 22/24 Forensic: Experts of the police investigate the crime scene after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market and killed several people in Berlin, Germany. Michael Sohn/AP 23/24 Survivors: A survivor of an accident with a Polish truck is rescued on a stretcher near a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square near the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters 24/24 Injured: Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher in the area after a lorry truck ploughed through a Christmas market Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Briton Emma Rushton, who was in the market, saw the lorry rush past her at speed and said it could not have been an accident.

She told Sky News she only missed being caught in the chaos because she had climbed up some steps to take a seat.

Ms Rushton said: "The stall that we bought our mulled wine from was completely crushed. People were tearing off wooden panels to get out."

She added: "It was not an accident. It was going 40mph, it was in the middle of the market.

"There was no way that it could have come off the road and it showed no signs of slowing down."

Witness Mike Fox, from Birmingham, said that the large truck missed him by just three metres as it drove into the market, tearing through tables and wooden stands.

"It was definitely deliberate," he said.

He told of how he helped people who appeared to have broken limbs, and that others were trapped under Christmas stands.

Jan Hollitzer, deputy editor in chief of Berliner Morgenpost, described "traumatic scenes".

He told CNN: "I heard a big noise and then I moved on the Christmas market and saw much chaos...many injured people."

Julian Reichelt, editor in chief of Bild Berlin, said that there was currently a massive security operation under way.

He added that tourists has been reminded of Bastille Day attacks in Nice when a truck drove into crowds killing 86 people.

Horrific footage posted on social media shows the aftermath of the crash.

German police later said that they had arrested a suspect believed to be the driver of the truck.

Spokesman Winfried Wenzel told ZDF public television that the man was arrested near the scene.

Berlin Police later tweeted: "A suspicious person was arrested near #Breitscheidplatz. Whether it is the driver of the truck, is currently under consideration.

"Currently, there are no indications of further dangerous situations in the city near #Breitscheidplatz."

Julian King, European commissioner for the security union, tweeted: "My thoughts are with all those affected and their families in #Berlin tonight."

This page is being updated.