Mirror |Armed police rushed to the British Parliament on Tuesday after a man doused himself in a liquid which one MP said appeared to be petrol.

MP Huw Merriman said on Tuesday morning that a man who was next to him at the carriage gates “appeared to have poured what smells like petrol on himself”.

The representative for Bexhill and Battle added: “Incredibly brave response from police, who are now helping him.”

Scotland Yard said a man was detained outside Parliament at around 10.45am “after dousing himself with what appeared to be a flammable liquid”.

The spokesman said there were no injuries and the man is being assessed by paramedics. 

One picture taken at the scene shows police surrounding a man outside Parliament.

Officers were also seen spraying a fire extinguisher at an unknown substance, The Mirror reports. 

The incident happened at the main entrance to Parliament.