At least 35 people were killed and 43 injured when a driver rammed his car into people exercising outside of a sports centre in a southern Chinese city.

A 62-year-old driver was detained as he attempted to flee the scene in Zhuhai, police said, after pedestrians were knocked down by a “small” vehicle.

Footage taken in the aftermath of the incident showed dozens of people lying on running tracks and surrounding fields, with shoes and items of clothes scattered across the grounds.

Many of the injured appeared to be wearing sports outfits, including the uniforms of local walking groups.

Caixin, a Chinese media outlet, reported that an SUV crashed into multiple fitness groups, hitting dozens of people. Most of them were middle-aged, it is understood, though teenagers and children were among the casualties, the outlet added.

“(The vehicle) struck all around, injuring people in various sections of the sports field’s circular track, across the eastern, southern, western, and northern areas,” a witness said.

Chinese authorities did not say whether it was an attack or an incident, though cries of “terrorist” could be heard as ambulances arrived at the scene.