Four, Including An Unarmed Police Officer, Killed In Westminster Terror Attack

Four people were killed, including an unarmed police officer, and around 40 others were injured, after a knifeman brought terror to the heart of Westminster during a suspected terror attack.

The attacker, armed with two large knives, mowed down pedestrians with his car on Westminster Bridge, including schoolchildren, then rushed at the gates in front of the Houses of Parliament, stabbing the policeman before being shot dead by other officers.

The fatally wounded policeman, who was unarmed, was named by Scotland Yard's top anti-terror officer Mark Rowley as 48-year-old husband and father Keith Palmer.

Forces News understands that military personnel have been advised to avoid wearing uniform in public in London and the Ministry of Defence response level has been raised to exceptional within the M25.

British Forces Germany sent out the following message to personnel based there:

"The recent security incident in Westminster has resulted in a heightened security alert status in London. MOD staff from establishments outside the M25 are to cancel travel into London unless it is operationally essential. Flights to London Heathrow to support duty outside of the M25 is permitted. There is currently no change to the BFG security alert status."

Former army captain and foreign office minister Tobias Ellwood gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Keith Palmer at the scene of the attack.

He was pictured amid the carnage in New Palace Yard.

It is not the first time Mr Ellwood's life has been touched by an atrocity. His brother Jonathan was killed in the 2002 Bali bombing.

The military have not been deployed to assist the Metropolitan police but in a statement, Mark Rawley, said:

"Of course as you are aware we can call on the support of the military should we need to at a future point."

Theresa May vowed Britain would never give in to terror as she addressed the country in the wake of the "sick and depraved" terror attack in Westminster that left four dead.

The Prime Minister said the nation would "all move forward together" and hailed the "exceptional men and women" of the police force who responded as the horror unfolded.

In a statement outside 10 Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee, Mrs May insisted "the forces of evil" would never be allowed "to drive us apart".

The premier said Parliament would "meet as normal" on Thursday and emphasised that any attempt to defeat its values was "doomed to failure".

"We will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart."

Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror as the attacker was shot several times as he approached a second officer within yards of the Houses of Parliament.

Colleen Anderson, a junior doctor at St Thomas' hospital, said a woman was killed as the attacker drove a grey Hyundai i40 across Westminster Bridge before crashing it into railings then running through the gates of the Palace of Westminster.

She also said she treated a police officer in his 30s with a head injury who had been taken to King's College hospital.

She said: "I confirmed one fatality. A woman. She was under the wheel of a bus.

"She died. Confirmed her death at the scene."

At least one of the people being treated in the palace courtyard was wheeled away on a stretcher with their face covered.

The attack left a trail of destruction as paramedics tended to victims on the bridge and at the gate.

Prime Minister Theresa May was seen being ushered into a silver Jaguar in the grounds of the palace as what sounded like gunfire rang out at around 2.45pm.

A Downing Street source confirmed she was "OK".

Eyewitness Rick Longley described the attack.

"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.

"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."

Politicians have taken to twitter to describe chaotic scenes in Westminster after a security alert meant many had to be evacuated from Parliament.

Cover photo courtesy of James West/Twitter.