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A 4x4 car mounted the pavement and ploughed into pedestrians crossing the busy Westminster Bridge beside London's Big Ben.

The attacker then stabbed a policeman – who later died – before he was shot by armed officers.

Foreign Minister Tobias Ellwood heroically attempted to save the officer's life by administering CPR.

Parliament was placed on lockdown with MPs locked inside while armed police carrying shields protected the building.

Reports suggest that 40 people have been injured with five people – including the attacker – confirmed dead.

Scotland Yard have made it clear that the attack – which occured at around 2.45pm – is being treated as a "terrorist incident" and they believe the attacker was "inspired by international terrorism".

The policeman has been named as PC Keith Palmer, a husband, father and 15-year veteran of the Met Police who was unarmed when he was attacked.

Pictures emerged of multiple injured on Westminster Bridge with horror video footage showing hundreds running away at the time of the attack.

And a witness filmed the chaos just moments after the car mowed down dozens people.

The car pinned someone against the wall when it crashed, witnesses reported.

An air ambulance soon arrived at the scene which came on the anniversary of the Brussels terrorist bombing and just days after the UK launched a Trump-style ban on large electronics onboard planes.

Stunned witnesses reported hearing a loud bang followed by screaming and shooting.

(Image: TWITTER) (Image: SG)

The attacker was described as a "middle-aged" Asian man who was spotted running with an eight-inch knife.

Quentin Letts said: "I saw a thick-set man in black clothes come through the gates into New Palace Yard, just below Big Ben.

"He had something in his hand, it looked like a stick of some sort, and he was challenged by a couple of policemen in yellow jackets.

"And one of the yellow-jacketed policemen fell down and we could see the man in black moving his arm in a way that suggested he was stabbing or striking the yellow-jacketed policeman."

A Downing Street source declined to say where Prime Minister Theresa May was during the attack, but said she had not been involved and that she was safe.

***CLICK HERE FOR A TIMELINE OF THE ATTACK***

(Image: DAILY STAR)

MPs were evacuated from Parliament in groups of four, but bomb squads have now halted the evacuation due to a suspicious package in a vehicle outside.

More than 50 schoolchildren were also placed in a high-security cordon inside Parliament.

Tourists were held in the London Eye ferris wheel while police dealt with the situation.

A woman was amazingly pulled out of the Thames River alive some time later.

Commons Leader David Lidington has told MPs: "The alleged assailant was shot by armed police, an ambulance is currently attending the scene to remove the casualities.

"There are also reports of further violent incidents in the Palace of Westminster but it would be wrong of me to go into further details before confirmation from the police."

(Image: TWITTER)

MPs and staff sent messages to friends and family to let them know they were safe.

Labour MP Jon Trickett tweeted during the incident saying: "Democracy will not be intimidated by terror."

Dennis Burns described the chaotic scenes after the attack saying: "When I got inside I was wondering what the hell was going on and I saw dozens of panicked people running down the street.

"The first stream was around 30 people and the second stream was 70 people.

"It looked like they were running for their lives."

Another witness Rick Longley fought back tears as he described seeing the attacker stab a police officer.

He said: "We were just walking up to the station and there was a loud bang and a guy, someone, crashed a car and took some pedestrians out.

(Image: SG)

"They were just laying there and then the whole crowd just surged around the corner by the gates just opposite Big Ben.

"A guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife and just started plunging it into the policeman.

"I have never seen anything like that. I just can't believe what I just saw."

Prime Minister Theresa May has called an emergency Cobra meeting for later today.

The House of Commons and the House of Lords will sit as normal tomorrow.

Metropolitan police said members of public should avoid the following areas: Parliament Square, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Victoria Street up to the junction with Broadway and Victoria Embankment up to Embankment Tube station.

(Image: REUTERS)

Tube services at Westminster were cancelled.

People around the world reacted in horror to the terrifying incident.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Our thoughts are with the victims of this horrific attack, their families and friends."

The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood suspended their vote on an independence referendum as a result of the chaos.