VOLKMARSEN, Germany 24 Feb (ANA) - A car has been driven into a crowd at a carnival parade in the German town of Volkmarsen, police have said.

 

At least 10 people are thought to have been injured, local media report. A police spokesman said the driver had been detained.

 

The motive and nature of the incident are as yet unclear.

 

Large numbers of emergency workers are at the scene in the small town, which lies in the state of Hesse in western Germany.

 

Local reports say a silver Mercedes drove into a group of people at about 14:30 local time (13:30 GMT).

 

Images on social media show a car matching that description surrounded by emergency vehicles.

 

Eyewitnesses told German media that the driver accelerated toward the crowd and appeared to target children.

 

In a Twitter post, police called on anyone with pictures or videos of the incident to send them to officers, and urged people not to speculate about a motive.

 

The incident took place during celebrations for Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday - a carnival day celebrated in some parts of Germany, as well as parts of Austria, Belgium and Switzerland.

 

Schools are often closed on the day, although it is not a national holiday in Germany.(ANA)

FA/ANA/24 February 2020-------