LAST UPDATE | 24 Feb 2020

A CAR DROVE into a crowd at a festival in Germany this afternoon injuring “dozens” of people, including children, police have said.

The incident took place at a carnival procession in Volksmarsen, a town located around 280 kilometres south-west of Berlin. The driver of the car has been arrested by Northern Hesse police.

“There are dozens of injured, including some who are gravely hurt,” a police spokeswoman said.

Another police spokesperson added that children were among the injured in the incident in the state of Hesse. 

Police have said they have not received reports of any deaths.

Police in Western Hesse state tweeted that all other carnival parades in the state today were ended after the crash as a precaution.

Police shut down the area to allow emergency crews to deal with the crash which took place in the small town with a population of 7,000.

The scene in Volksmarsen this afternoon in Germany. PA PA

A spokeswoman for police in Volksmarsen said “it is too soon” to say whether the driver drove into the crowd on purpose.

In many parts of Germany residents were celebrating Rose Monday before this incident took place, a highlight of the annual carnival festivities that sees adults and children dress up and attend parades where people play music and throw sweets from floats.

With reporting by Press Association and Orla Dwyer.