Armed police opened fire on a car as it was driven at them having just "deliberately rammed" the Ukrainian ambassador's official vehicle in London on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred outside the Ukrainian embassy in Holland Park, Kensington, at around 8:30am.

Police said they had been called following reports of a car in collision with a number of parked vehicles near the Ukrainian Embassy.

Upon arrival, a car, believed to be a silver Mercedes, was driven at the officers which resulted in firearms and a Taser being discharged.

The car ended up pointing away from the embassy with the front near-side window shattered, possibly by shots. Shopping bags and a Stanley tool box were visible in the boot, which remained open as officers combed the surrounding road.

A man in his 40s was arrested and taken to a central London hospital. He was uninjured. Three police cars and two vans remained on the scene, including one thought to belong to specialist police forensic officers.

A local resident heard the gun shots. Retired history teacher Lois Saint-Pierre, 89, said: "I was sitting at my desk and I looked straight up and I saw a man - middle-aged, stocky, running at a car that had pulled away from the curbing in front of the embassy.