'I thought a bomb was about to go off': Bus driver on Westminster Bridge during attack describes what he saw

'In the beginning I thought maybe he lost control but then I heard shouting and screaming'

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A London bus driver has described scenes of "panic" as a suspected terror attack unfolded outside the Houses of Parliament.

Michael Adamou was turning over Westminster Bridge when he saw what initially looked like an accident.

"In the beginning I thought maybe he lost control but then I heard shouting and screaming," he told The Independent.

"I saw people rushing into Parliament and the police were going crazy trying to stop everyone.

"A couple of seconds later I heard gunshots and then once the traffic started moving I could see the rest of the damage that he had caused - all the people laying on the floor."

The 25-year-old said up to 20 injured people were lying on the bridge, with two not moving.

Scotland Yard has confirmed five people died in the incident, including the attacker, a police officer and three others.

Police say at least 40 are injured, with dozens of ambulances and the London air ambulance evacuating casualties from the scene.

Mr Adamou said his passengers were "panicking" and trying to get off the trapped bus.

"After hearing gunshots I thought maybe a bomb was about to go off," he added.

"Once I got everyone off the bus I heard someone shouting that his wife had jumped into the river to avoid getting knocked over."

A woman has been pulled alive from the River Thames and was taken for medical treatment.

Witnesses told The Independent the car was left crashed into a wall next to the entrance to the Houses of Parliament.

A man believed to be the attacker was seen lying motionless a short distance from the vehicle on the floor. He was later seen being wheeled away by paramedics and has now been confirmed dead.

The attack is bring treated as a terrorist incident by police, following a series of Isis inspired attacks using vehicles and knives across Europe.

No group has yet claimed responsibility.

"In the beginning it looked like an accident, I was hoping it was an accident," Mr Adamou said.

"At the end of the day you can't prevent everything from happening, if it's going to happen it's going to happen but I'm still shook up."