Two gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a mosque in south France leaving eight injured.

Police in Avignon are now searching for the suspects who fled the scene at around 10.30pm last night.

Two 'hooded' men arrived at the scene outside Arrahma mosque in a Renault Clio, La Provence newspaper reports.

One was armed with a handgun and the other with a rifle.

People were leaving the mosque when one of the men, who had got out of his vehicle, opened fire.

At least four people were injured as the crowd ran away in a panic.

A family-of-four were in a nearby apartment which was hit by 'shrapnel'.

(Image: REUTERS)

(Image: REUTERS)

A 7-year-old girl was among those to suffer minor injuries.

Police and firefighters remain on the scene.

La Provence later said police "completely dismissed" any possibility of the shooting being a terrorist attack.

The local prosecutor said initial accounts pointed towards a dispute between young people.