Police officers stand guard near the site where a car crashed into the front gates of Downing Street in London, Britain, May 25, 2023 (Reuters)

Armed police arrested one man after a car crashed into the gates of the UK Prime Minister's Downing Street office and residence in central London on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

"At around 16:20 (1520 GMT) a car collided with the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall. Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving," police said in a statement.

💥 BREAKING 💥
A car has rammed into the gates at Downing Street pic.twitter.com/2EBc6r8bOC
— Paul Golding (@GoldingBF) May 25, 2023

No injuries were reported, and police added that inquiries were ongoing.

A witness who did not provide their name said the driver was a man estimated to be in his 50s.

Video footage of the incident showed a white car driving at low speed across Whitehall, where many government ministries are located. It appeared to then mount the footpath and stopped after hitting the large metal gates that guard the entrance to Downing Street.

Other footage showed a police cordon surrounding the car, with its trunk open.

The chilling moment a car drove into the gates of Downing Street in London. pic.twitter.com/dzl1tLD3QE
— TalkTV (@TalkTV) May 25, 2023

Downing Street is a short walk from the Houses of Parliament, and the area has a high-security presence with barriers on the footpath and in front of government buildings following previous incidents.