Police responding to 'gunshots' near Notre Dame in Paris

Police in Paris say they are responding to an alert at the Notre Dame cathedral amid reports of gunshots and panic on Tuesday.

Officials have told people to stay away from the area, one of the French capital's most popular tourist sites.

Reports suggest a man attacked a police officer with a hammer and was later shot.

France is in a state of emergency since attacks by jihadists in Paris left 130 people dead in 2015.

Reuters