Police officers stand next to a person with a bandaged ankle near the Natural History Museum, after a car mounted the pavement, in London on Saturday. （Photo/Agencies)

London Metropolitan Police said on Saturday afternoon a car hit and injured several pedestrians outside the Natural History Museum in West London.

One person has been arrested by security staff members following the incident in Exhibition Road in South Kensington.

A spokesperson of Scotland Yard said: "It is not being treated as a terrorist incident at this stage while we establish what has happened."

Images and footages on social showed a black Toyota Prius mounted the pavement.

An eyewitness who was walking to the Science Museum told BBC: "When waiting for the light, we heard what I thought was gunshots and saw a car drive over the pavement. We just ran. My friend dived on the floor and cut her hands."

Exhibition Road is home to the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, which are popular with tourists.

Inquiries are under way to establish the circumstances, according to the police.

A Downing Street spokesman said the prime minister is "being kept up to date on events".

The current terror threat level in the UK is "severe", the second-highest, which means an attack is highly likely.

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