At least five people have died and around 40 people have been injured after a knife-wielding man drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London before stabbing a police officer outside the Houses of Parliament.

Ipswich Star: London attacksLondon attacks (Image: Archant)

Here is everything we know about the apparent “terrorist” attack on Wednesday, March 22.

•Police have confirmed five people have died as a result of the attack including Metropolitan Police PC Keith Palmer, 48, who was married and had children, who was protecting parliament and the alleged assailant who was shot by armed police

Ipswich Star: Police on Westminster Bridge following an incident where a police officer has been stabbed and his apparent attacker shot by police. Picture: Martin Halfpenny/PA WirePolice on Westminster Bridge following an incident where a police officer has been stabbed and his apparent attacker shot by police. Picture: Martin Halfpenny/PA Wire

•James Cleverly, Conservative MP for Braintree, paid tribute to PC Palmer who had known for 25 years. They served together in the Royal Artillery

•MPs have returned to parliament today (March 23), with the Union Jack being flown at half mast above the Houses of Parliament

•Two people died as a result of the incident on Westminster Bridge

•The attacker drove a grey Hyundai Tucson across Westminster Bridge mowing down pedestrians before crashing it into railings

•He ran through the gates of the Palace of Westminster armed with ‘two large knives’ and stabbed a police officer before being shot by armed officers

•The car, a grey Hyundai i40, is believed to have been hired from Solihull, a town in the West Midlands, near Birmingham

•A police raid was carried out at an address in Birmingham on Wednesday, March 22. The raid is thought to be connected to the attack, but this has not been confirmed

•Police believe the attack was perpetrated by one person

•Two pedestrians involved in the incident on Westminster Bridge have died

•Other pedestrians on the bridge suffered ‘catastrophic injuries’

•A woman who apparently jumped or fell from the bridge into the river to avoid the attacker’s car was rescued and given emergency treatment

•Paramedics treated at least 10 patients on Westminster Bridge according to the London Ambulance Service

•A party of French schoolchildren were among those targeted on the bridge

•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

•Commander BJ Harrington, of the Metropolitan Police, confirmed a counter-terrorism investigation is underway.

He said: “A senior national coordinator has declared this a terrorist incident.

“Although we remain open-minded to the motive, a counter-terrorism investigation is already under way led by the Met counter-terrorism command.”

•Commander Barrington warned the public should avoid Parliament Square, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Victoria Street up to the junction with Broadway and Victoria Embankment up to Embankment Tube station.