A car has ploughed into a crowd of people at a Christmas market leaving seven people injured including children.
The terrifying incident unfolded at a Christmas fair in Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, at around lunchtime today.
It is understood that a man in his 80s was attempting to manoeuvre out of a parking space when he lost control and drove into the a large crowd of people.
This left seven people injured including a young child and a baby. However, police have reassured the public that no one sustained life-threatening or life-changing injuries.
One witness, Esra Ward saw the whole horrifying incident unfold close to her pizza stall at the market.
Speaking to the BBC, she said: ‘We were just talking with the customers in front of our van.
‘The car was parked, and suddenly we saw him accelerate coming out of his parking space and hit a couple of people.
‘There was a mum with a baby in a pushchair in front of the car. Apparently at the back he has hit a few more people, a family. They had ambulances and police and fire all here in about five minutes.’
Despite the severity of the incident Avon and Somerset Police advised the organisers of Victorian Day not to cancel the event.
In a Facebook post, the organisers said: ‘As many of you are aware there has been an incident at the top of the High Street. We have been advised by the police not to cancel today’s event so the remainder of the High Street from Hobbs House Bakery down towards Broad Street and Horse Street is still open.’
‘We would ask anyone attending today to please not take photos of the incident, and not speculate on social media as we work the emergency services to help those people who need assistance.’
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police confirmed: ‘We were called at midday on Sunday December 1 to a report of a car in a low-speed collision with pedestrians while manoeuvring out of a parking space.’
They added: ‘The driver – believed to be a man in his eighties – and seven pedestrians including five adults and two children were assessed by ambulance crew at the scene.
‘We’d like to reassure people that despite the large emergency response no one is currently described as having either life-threatening or life-changing injuries.’
South Western Ambulance Service said it received a call at 11.58am and five ambulances, an air ambulance, and several other resources were sent to the scene.
The organisers Chipping Sodbury Christmas Sunday confirmed on Facebook that the event was still continuing.
They said: ‘As many of you are aware there has been an incident at the top of the High Street.
‘We have been advised by the police not to cancel today’s event so the remainder of the High Street from Hobbs House Bakery down towards Broad Street and Horse Street is still open.
‘We would ask anyone attending today to please not take photos of the incident, and not speculate on social media as we work the emergency services to help those people who need assistance.’