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Multiple people have been injured after a car 'deliberately' mounted a pavement and hit students outside a high school in France.

A 23-year-old woman is said to have been seriously injured, and two others less so, when they were struck by a Renault Clio outside Saint-Exupery high school in Blagnac, close to Toulouse airport, shortly before 4 pm.

The driver attempted to drive off after the incident but was stopped by police.

The suspect, aged 28, is not thought to be on a security watch list but police say he is known for previous minor offences, notably drug related.

A local police source said: "The car mounted the pavement soon after 4pm and caused immense panic as it targeted students leaving the college.

(Image: Twitter)

"The man responsible was known to police but had no history of terrorism. He has severe psychological problems, and had been placed under supervision in the past."

The three injured students are thought to be Chinese and studying computing at the IGS technical college in the city.

According to some reports they were struck near to the exit of the school and have been taken to a hospital in Toulouse.

(Image: Google Streetview)

Toulouse prosecutor Pierre-Yves Couilleau said the Clio driver "admitted running down the students on purpose" after hearing "voices in his head’

"He was known to the police and local prosecutors and is currently in custody," Mr Couilleau added.

Last week China urged France to do more to ensure the safety of its nationals visiting the country, after a group of 40 Chinese tourists was tear-gassed and robbed in Paris.

Four men targeted the Chinese holidaymakers in the car park of their hotel after they returned from a city tour.

In August last year, 27 Chinese tourists were assaulted by six men who boarded a bus that was to take them to Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.