Authorities are responding to a “major incident” outside a synagogue in northern England following reports a car was driven towards people and one man was stabbed on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Police were called to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester at 9.31am today (6.31pm AEST) and said four members of the public were injured.

Greater Manchester Police said firearms officers fired shots seven minutes later, hitting one man, believed to be the offender.

“Paramedics arrived at the scene at 9.41 and are tending to members of the public, currently four members of the public with injuries caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds,” police said on X.

“Members of the public are asked to avoid the area while the police continue to deal with the incident.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the situation was “probably” linked to the day being Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism.

Police said they declared a major incident after a man called in to say he’d seen “a car being driven towards members of the public” and one man stabbed.

The North West Ambulance Service also declared a major incident at the scene on Middleton Road in Crumpsall.

“We are currently assessing the situation and working with other members of the emergency services,” the trust said, in a statement.

“Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.”

Police “declared PLATO,” the national code-word used by police and emergency services when responding to a “marauding terror attack”. That does not mean it has been declared a terrorist incident.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is flying back from a summit of European leaders in Copenhagen to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, COBRA.

“I’m appalled by the attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall,” he said, on X.

“The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific. 

“My thoughts are with the loved ones of all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services and all the first responders.”

Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester that the “immediate danger appears to be over” and praised police and security at the synagogue for such a rapid response.

He said he believed the suspect was dead and issued a message for UK Jews.

“Obviously, what we would all want to recognise is how people in our Jewish community will be feeling right now,” he said.

“Today is Yom Kippur, as I understand, and obviously, I think that explains why people were around, why there was a number of people gathered outside the synagogue, and, you know, while lots of people were attending a service.

“So we understand this is a situation that probably is linked to the fact that it’s Yom Kippur, you know, a day of celebration for the Jewish community.”

The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said it was working with police and the local Jewish community.

“This appears to be an appalling attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year,” it said, in a post on X. 

“We thank the GMP officers and synagogue security who responded immediately to deal with the incident.”

– Reported with Associated Press