Westminster went into lockdown as gunshots could be heard outside as terror visited the British parliament

GUNSHOTS could be heard outside the walls, striking fear into the hearts of every person, politician and police officer as parliament went into lockdown.

British Prime Minister Theresa May described the attack as sick and depraved. Picture: Richard Pohle/AP

WESTMINSTER was placed into lockdown as the horrific terror attack unfolded just outside the walls while MPs were inside debating new pension laws.

The doors to the House of Commons were slammed shut and locked as gunshots could be heard coming from outside the British Parliament, on the banks of the River Thames.

Labour MP Keith Vas told the media he was with about 400 MPs inside the chamber when the alarm was sounded about 2.40pm London time.

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The official time of the attack was marked at 2.40pm local time. Picture: AFP/Joel Ford

“We are all locked in a chamber in the House of Commons, they have sealed the doors and we cannot get out,’’ he told NDTV.

Mr Vaz said the MPs inside the House of Commons heard the gunshots as police fired multiple times at the man who had mowed down pedestrians on the Westminster Bridge, crashed his car through the Parliament fence and stabbed a police officer several times, causing fatal injuries.

“We have been told that the attacker was shot. An air ambulance has arrived and everything is in a lockdown situation. This is all very alarming. We do not know what is happening,’’ he said.

“We cannot even go to any other part of the building.’’

Politicians were kept isolated in common rooms until the threat cleared. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Tynemouth MP Alan Campbell said a vote was underway in the main Commons debating chamber on a pensions bill when the deputy speaker announced “there had been a serious incident and we were not going anywhere. The place was locked down.

“We are not able to leave until the incident is resolved,’’ he said.

North West Durham MP Pat Glass tweeted: “Being moved from T room to another part of House as armed Police sweep the building. Want to thank Police who put their lives on line 4 us.”

He later told BBC radio that police were clearing the House of Commons room by room.

“I’ve never seen so many armed police in my life. They are going from room to room, evacuating people as they go.”

It emerged later than British PM Theresa May was whisked away to an undisclosed location. Picture: Joel Ford/AFP

Well-rehearsed security procedures were immediately put into place as the doors to Parliament were locked and MPs, staffers and visitors were ordered to remain where they were.

Some were locked in corridors and others in public halls and offices as heavily-armed police began combing the historic, rambling buildings.

About 1000 people including MPs were taken to the nearby Westminster Abbey and held there for several hours.

Others were held inside the ornate Westminster Hall.

British police patrols have been stepped up in response to the attack. Picture: Joel Ford/AFP

Prime Minister Theresa May, who was only a short distance from the scene of the attack, was immediately rushed into a silver Jaguar and driven at high speeds away from Parliament.

She went to 10 Downing Street before leaving for an unknown destination for around an hour, returning to deliver a statement outside the official residence.

It was a regular sitting day at Westminster so the building was crammed with thousands of people including schoolchildren. The House of Lords was not due to sit for another 15 minutes so was not in session when the attack happened, but many of the peers were in the building and heading for the chamber.

Parliament was full of politicians and visitors when the attack started. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images

Conservative MP and Minister for Counter-Terrorism, Tobias Ellwood, rushed to help, performing CPR and trying to save the life of the critically injured police officer who was stabbed just outside the building, in an area near the famous Big Ben clock tower.

Both the Lords and the Commons will sit as usual tomorrow, with parliamentary authorities

determined to show it is business as usual, despite the terror attacks on democracy’s doorstep.