Several people were killed and injured on Saturday when a vehicle ploughed into pedestrians in the German city of Munster, local media reports said.

The DPA news agency said a car had hit bystanders in the western city.

Police confirmed there had been casualties but did not immediately say what happened.

'There are deaths and injured. Please avoid the area, we are on scene,' the regional police service said on Twitter.

Police also urged people to avoid 'speculation' about the incident.

According to the online edition of the Spiegel magazine, German authorities were 'assuming' the incident was an attack, though there was no immediate official confirmation.

The driver of the vehicle has killed himself, agencies quoted police as saying.

"The driver shot himself," a police spokeswoman said.  -- Agencies

Photograph: Kind courtesy @joshdcaplan/Twitter