NO10 ALERT
A MAN has been arrested after a car smashed into the gates of Downing Street this afternoon.
Armed cops sealed off Whitehall after the small silver Kia rammed into the famous entrance of the PM's official residence at 4.20pm.
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The Sun understands Rishi Sunak was working in No10 at the time of the crash and that the building was briefly locked down.
He has now left on a pre-arranged visit which was delayed because of the security scare, which is not understood to be terror related.
Scotland Yard confirmed there were no injuries and that a man has been held on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving.
Footage shows the car driving across the central London road behind the Cenotaph war memorial before careering head-on into the metal gates.
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Officers have shut virtually the entire road in Westminster and the Met confirmed that a vehicle had crashed into the reinforced gates.
Cops in blue gloves trawled the boot of the hatchback and pulled out what appeared to be a large Sainsbury’s bag, alongside a pair of black trousers and some male shirts.
Witness Simon Parry, 44, said: "I heard a bang and looked up and saw loads of police with taser guns shouting at the man.
"A lot of police vehicles came very quickly and were very quick to evacuate the area."
Scotland Yard said: "At around 16:20hrs a car collided with the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall.
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"Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving.
"There are no reports of any injuries. Enquiries are ongoing."
Whitehall was reopened to traffic just after 6.30pm.
Downing Street - which is guarded by gun-carrying cops round-the-clock - has been targeted by terrorists over the years.
IRA extremists notoriously hurled mortar bombs at No10 while Sir John Major was PM in the 1990s.
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