A Bergh Apton couple visiting London to receive a Countryside Alliance award for their farm shop business have described walking just metres from the spot where a suspected assailant was shot dead at Westminster yesterday afternoon.

James Debbage and Michelle Evans, who run Green Pastures, spoke of their shock as they heard gunshots ring out while walking outside of the Palace of Westminster and told to run by nearby police officers.

They had been presented with an award at the House of Lords and as they were leaving they 'heard shots just a few yards ahead'.

Mr Debbage said: 'A policeman turned to us and yelled at the top of his voice, 'run, run away'. There were people in front of us who turned and fled. There was another policeman on one of the turnstiles into Westminster who told us to come in as it was safe.

MORE: Unarmed police officer killed in Parliament attack named as husband and father PC Keith Palmer

'Before we knew it we were standing in the cloakroom of the House of Lords.

'We were locked in and we could hear lots of shouting outside. A lady came to us who turned out to be Shami Chakrabarti, who told us to come with her, and she actually took us to where all the Lords were. We got to talking to one person who said they had seen a body fall from the bridge into the river. 'As we were there in a courtyard outside there were armed police yelling at someone to gets their arms up just underneath where we were standing. That was about half an hour after the shooting.

MORE: Armed police raid Birmingham flat after Westminster terror attack

'My wife has been quite shaken up by the whole thing and she just wants to get home to the kids. 'There was just complete carnage around. When we went into Westminster Hall there was an ambulance outside with all sorts of litter around it from treating people.'

The pair were taken into Westminster Abbey for their safety as police secured the scene. 'The thing that stood out in my mind was the number of armed police,' added Mr Debbage. 'There was an unbelievable amount of them.'