UPDATED: Terror attack at Westminster - Worcestershire MPs caught up in lockdown after knifeman's rampage

A TERROR attack has rocked Westminster - with a crazed knifeman running over pedestrians in a car and stabbing a police officer before being shot dead.

Several Worcestershire MPs were held on lockdown inside the Commons as today's horrifying terror incident unfolded.

Former Worcester Labour MP Mike Foster was also at Westminster today and was told by armed police to leave the area for his own safety.

The attacker mowed down people on Westminster Bridge before smashing his car into railings, running through gates at the front of parliament and stabbing a police officer.

He then tried to enter the building, where hundreds of MPs were gathered, but was shot several times by armed police as he approached a second officer at 2.45pm.

It left a trail of destruction, with victims strewn across the bridge and up to a dozen gunshots heard by witnesses amid the chaos.

Some county MPs, including Mid-Worcestershire's Nigel Huddleston and Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier, were put on lockdown in the chamber as police dealt with the aftermath outside.

The staff of all six Worcestershire MP's also locked themselves in their offices as police scrambled to close off roads, before the palaces were evacuated.

By 10.45pm this evening four people had died, including the stabbed officer and two pedestrians run over at Westminster Bridge, but police said many more have suffered "catastrophic" injuries, with the toll set to rise.

The dead police officer was named as Keith Palmer, 48, a dad and husband with more than 15 years experience in the job. 

The Met Police released a statement saying "at least" 20 people were seriously injured.

One woman jumped into the River Thames to avoid the attacker's 4x4 as it drove at her, and is expected to survive after being rescued from the water and taken to hospital. 

Mr Huddleston said: "Most MPs were in the chamber at the time we heard the news - my staff are all safe and had locked themselves into my office.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the injured police officer and everyone on Westminster Bridge."

Some MPs also described how armed military-style police stormed sections of the building.

Mr Garnier said: "There were quite a lot of impressive looking blokes in body armour with machine guns - it was very reassuring, given the circumstances."

Worcester MP Robin Walker, who is in Brussels today, said: "I'm very shocked and very saddened by what's happened."

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin, who is in Malaysia doing ministerial work in her defence role, is flying back to Britain after being briefed on it. 

Witnesses described the attacker being an Asian man in 40s with an eight-inch long knife.

Prime Minister Theresa May was seen being bundled into a silver Jaguar in the grounds of the palace just 40 yards from where the gunshots unfolded.

FORMER WORCESTER MP IN STATE OF "REAL SHOCK"

MIKE Foster had a lucky escape today after arriving at the scene just 15 minutes after the attacker was shot dead.

Worcester's former Labour MP, who lost his seat in 2010, was at Westminster for meetings about his work fronting up an energy and utilities trade body.

He left the palaces just after 1pm and tried to get back in just after 3pm, unaware of what had been unfolding moments earlier.

The 54-year-old said: "I'd been in parliament all morning alongside an industry colleague from Worcester Bosch.

"After catching up with some former colleagues I left the building just after 1pm.

"All was normal - the security level was 'severe', which is not unusual and there is always a strong presence of police, some clearly armed.

"It's always a busy place, there's always lots of activity inside the building and lots of tourists outside.

"This was no different, so it came as a real shock just after 3pm when I tried to head back to Westminster for further meetings only to see a major police incident was taking place.

"I followed the advice and vacated the area.

"Something like this was always a possibility, but it's still shocking when it happens.

"Obviously my thoughts like everyone else's are with the families of the deceased and those injured in this cowardly attack."

Mr Foster, who was Worcester's MP from 1997 to 2010, is now chief executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance and has not ruled out a return to politics.

• See our live blog from today HERE