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Armed police rushed to the Houses of Parliament this morning after man a 'poured petrol over himself' outside the gates.

Officers were seen holding a person up against a wall next to Carriage Gates and spraying a fire extinguisher on an unknown substance, report the Daily Mirror .

The MP for Bexhill and Battle Huw Merriman tweeted about the incident just before 11am.

He said: 'Man next to me at Parliament’s carriage gates appears to have poured (what smells like) petrol on himself. Incredibly brave response from police, who are now helping him."

Carriage Gates is the main entrance to Parliament and is where PC Keith Palmer was killed in a terror attack in 2017.

Dozens of officers rushed to the carriage gates entrance.

A BMW X5 police armed response vehicle stationed nearby raced to the scene while armed officers guarding Parliament hurried to deal with the suspect.

A fire engine has now arrived to help clean up the spilt petrol.