The situation is reported to have broken out at the Church of the Gambetta in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray
The situation is reported to have broken out at the Church of the Gambetta in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray
Police are at the scene at the Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray commune in the Haute-Normandie region of northern France

A hostage situation has broken out at a church in France as two knifemen are reportedly holding a priest, two nuns and several worshippers.

Police are at the scene at the Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray commune in the Haute-Normandie region of northern France.

The hostage takers are reported to have stormed the Church of the Gambetta at around 9.45am local time (8.45am UK time).

A large area has been evacuated and cordoned off around the scene.

One nearby resident said he was walking to church as the horror broke out and he was told to go home and stay indoors by armed officers.

French police
© frederic veille

He told French newspaper MetroNews: "I was going to go out and do my shopping when the police started shouting me to go straight home and barricade myself.

"There is a lot of agitation, the police are bulletproof vest and armed."
Prise d'otages dans une église de Saint Etienne du Rouvray ! Police GIPN et militaires mission vigipirate sur place pic.twitter.com/Wz1zbwHK5F

— frederic veille (@fredveille) July 26, 2016
Les pompiers arrivent sur place et annoncent plusieurs blessés Prise d'otages saint etienne du Rouvray @RTLFrance pic.twitter.com/DoRMJ1iNTg

— frederic veille (@fredveille) July 26, 2016