Gunshots reported on packed Oxford Street as Black Friday shoppers told to hide

The force later reported it had not located any trace of suspects, evidence of shots fired or casualties at the Oxford Street incident.

Black Friday shoppers on the street were urged to take cover, with Scotland Yard urged anyone on Oxford Street to “go into a building”.

British Transport Police said: “At this stage, we have received one report of a woman sustaining a minor injury when leaving Oxford Circus station. There are no other reported casualties.”

Both Oxford Circus and Bond Street Tube stations are closed.

London Fire Brigade said three fire engines and 15 firefighters at the scene.

(PA graphic)

BBC producer Helen Bushby, who was shopping in the area, said: “I was just walking down from the BBC towards the tube and there was a mass stampede away from the tube as fast as they could.

“They were crying, they were screaming, they were dropping their shopping bags. It was a very panicked scene.

“People said they heard a gunshot and panic was just spreading.”

Video posted to Twitter showed police shouting “get inside somewhere” as they escorted people away from Oxford Street.

Footage also showed people calmly filing out of the tube station as an automated message urged passions to “leave the station immediately”.

Video posted to Twitter later showed people walking away from the station.

Greg Owen, 37, from London, said: “I was next to the tube station and everyone started screaming and shouting and then a flood of people came up the stairs.”

And a witness who only wanted to be known as Emma said: “There were shots fired on Oxford Street and then armed police ran into me and my friend.

“Armed police were running up Argyll Street and now we’re locked in French Connection.”

People locked into the London Palladium theatre while the incident nearby is investigated (Yui Mok/PA)

One woman named Maaiysa, a journalist for TRT, tweeted that she heard ”gunshots” as well as screams and sirens from her office near Oxford Circus, and posted video of people running away from the station.

“Never seen such panic. People flooded into our offices, looking for shelter, shaking,” she wrote.

Pop singer Olly Murs was among those caught up in the incident in a department store on Oxford Street.

In a series of tweets from his @ollyoffical account, the former X Factor contestant wrote: “F*** everyone get out of @Selfridges now gun shots!! I’m inside

“Really not sure what’s happened! I’m in the back office… but people screaming and running towards exits! Evacuating store now!!! F*** heart is pounding”

Olly Murs wrote later: “Being told no shots in Selfridges! Have no idea the whole store went crazy!

“I’m safe and in hotel with loads of people! So many different stories flying around just hope everyone is safe.”

People were seen running away from Oxford Circus station in tears.

A huge cordon was put in place straddling some of the capital’s busiest shopping streets, which was being expanded as the situation developed, while shops on Oxford Street and Regent Street were also being evacuated.

A witness at DataXu on Ramillies Street, just off Oxford Street,said several of her colleagues could hear what sounded like a shot being fired.

She told the Press Association: “People have just been running past, the police have been moving away towards Tottenham Court Road. People here (colleagues) said they thought they heard a shot – one shot, or a bang.”

Police have set up one of the cordons across Oxford Street at Holles Street by the John Lewis department store.

Police officers directing members of the public on Oxford Street (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Dozens of uniformed officers have come out in lines and are telling people to get off Oxford Circus and knocking on the doors of all the shops along the road, saying the area needs to be evacuated.

At 5.30pm, just weeks before Christmas, the busy shopping destination had been packed with people spending money and the streets are being emptied of anyone who is nearby. Buses have been stopped and are stacked along the side of the road.

The London Palladium on Argyll Street, which is due to host the Royal Variety Performance later, is in lock-down.

Lanna Woodward, 20, from California, who is visiting London said she did not see the shooting but witnessed the aftermath of panic.

“Before it all I saw about 30 police officers speeding down the street,” she said.

“We were in the Kingdom of Sweets and then saw a massive crowd of people running and screaming. People were climbing on top of each other.

“The store we were in was locked down, the manager wouldn’t let us leave – they said there had been a shooting at the entrance of the Tube station.”