Police in Paris shoot at car that crashed through Tour de France barriers

Updated: Police in Paris this morning opened fire on a vehicle after it was driven through barriers set up for this afternoon's finale of the Tour de France.

The incident happened at Place de la Concorde at approximately 8am reports Telegraph.co.uk, with the car colliding with another vehicle.

When officers who were erecting barricades for this afternoon's final stage of the Tour signalled for the driver to stop, he instead drove at them with officers opening fire.

Police are now searching for the driver, whom they believe may have been hit by gunfire and drove off. Initial reports suggested that he had fled on foot, but that is not now believed to be the case.

France has been on a heightened security alert since incidents in January including the shootings at the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and there was some speculation initially that the incident this morning may have had links to terrorism, but police have subsequently said that ththey are satisfied it does not.

The incident has not affected the final stage of the Tour de France this afternoon, or the women's race, La Course, that precedes it, and which is currently under way.

Note: This article was originally published at 11.07am on Sunday 26 July 2015 shortly after news of the incident broke, and was updated at 2.00pm to reflect the latest situation.