Several critically injured after driver rams into pedestrians on French island

A driver has rammed his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the Ile d'Oléron, off the west coast of France, leaving 10 people hurt including several in a critical condition.

A local man aged "about 30" was arrested at the scene after deliberately driving into people, the mayor of Dolus d'Oléron Thibault Brechkoff said.

The man drove some distance between two villages on the island, mowing down several people including a young girl, the mayor told French TV.

He eventually abandoned his vehicle and tried to set fire to it before running away, Brechkoff said.

The public prosecutor for La Rochelle, Arnaud Laraize, said the suspect was known to police and that he shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") at the moment of his arrest.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said an inquiry had been opened into the incident and he was heading to the scene.

The incident took place around 08:45 (07:45 GMT), and local reports said gas canisters had been found in the back of the suspect's car after he tried to set the vehicle alight.