Several hurt after motorist hits pedestrians and cyclists on French island of Ile d'Oleron

Five people have been injured after a car was driven into pedestrians and cyclists on the French island of Ile d'Oleron.

Two people are in a serious condition in hospital and a man has been arrested, French interior minister Laurent Nunez said.

The incident lasted for 35 minutes and the suspect had tried to torch his car, added Mr Nunez.

"This morning, starting at 8:40, an individual driving his vehicle went on a journey during which he deliberately hit several people who were in his path, either on bicycles or on foot," he said.

Thibault Brechkoff, the mayor of Dolus-d'Oleron, told BFMTV the suspect shouted "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for God is Greatest) when he was detained.

Arnaud Laraize, the public prosecutor in La Rochelle, told the Sud Ouest newspaper the 35-year-old suspect "resisted arrest" and was "subdued using a stun gun".

He said the suspect was known for minor offences such as theft, adding he was not on a list of people considered a threat to national security.

Pedestrians and cyclists were hit on a road between Dolus d'Oleron and Saint-Pierre d'Oleron, he added.

Police were alerted, with the first calls made at around 9am.

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The suspect is a French national from La Cotiniere, a small fishing village on the west coast of Ile d'Oleron, according to French media reports.

The motive for the attack remains unclear and the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office is not involved.

Mr Nunez said he was heading to the scene at the request of Sebastien Lecornu, the French prime minister.

(c) Sky News 2025: Several hurt after motorist hits pedestrians and cyclists on French island of Ile d'Oleron