Brussels terror attacks: Suspect 'on the run' after at least 34 killed in Belgium bombings

Belgian police issued an image of the man, one of three seen pushing luggage trolleys through Zaventem airport moments before two bombs exploded.

A third bomb was deactivated at the airport hours after the attack.

In a statement, Belgian police appealed for information about the man, who is wearing a hat and a light-coloured jacket.

"Police are looking to identify this man. He is suspected of having committed the attack at Zaventem on Tuesday March 22.

"If you recognise this individual or have information regarding this attack please call 0800 30 300."

The airport attack was followed by a bomb blast on a Metro train in the city centre as terrorists inflicted a new outrage on a European capital.

The coordinated bomb attacks left a major city in lockdown once again less than five months after Paris was hit by a wave of deadly strikes.

The terror group Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the Brussels attacks.

One British national is known to have been injured in the bomb attack on the airport in Brussels, Downing Street said.

Belgium raised its terror alert to its highest level, diverting planes and trains and ordering people to stay where they were. Airports across Europe immediately tightened security.

"What we feared has happened," Prime Minister Charles Michel said at a news conference, adding that authorities were concerned that more attacks could come.

Belgian federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw is calling all three explosions in Brussels "terrorist attacks". He said "one attack was probably done by a suicide bomber".

The coordinated attacks came as the Belgian capital was on a high level of alert following the arrest of Paris atrocity suspect Salah Abdeslam in the city last week.

There were unconfirmed reports of shots being fired and shouting in Arabic at the airport in what Belgian media said was a suicide attack.

Images on social media showed shattered windows and smoke rising from an airport building. More bombs were reported to have been found in the building and Belgium has raised its terror threat to the highest level.

Video footage shot from an airport car park showed people fleeing in terror.

The Brussels Metro tweeted to say the entire system was shut following a blast at Maelbeek station, close to the city's EU institutions.

There were two explosions at Zaventem airport at around 8am. Shots were heard before the explosions, which appear to have struck near the American Airlines and Brussels Airline check in desk.

Footage from inside the building showed a scene of devastation with ceiling tiles strewn across the floor and suitcases abandoned.

Airport spokeswoman Anke Fransen said: "There were two blasts in the departure hall. The first aid team are in place for help."

Passengers were led onto the tarmac and travellers were urged to stay away from the airport.

Sky News Middle East correspondent Alex Rossi, who was at the airport en route for Tel Aviv, told the channel: "I could feel the buildings move."

According to reports the incident centred on an American Airlines desk in a departure hall.

Mr Rossi told Sky News people were "dazed and shocked".

"The word is definitely two explosions.

"The thinking here by everybody is that it is some kind of terrorist attack although that hasn't been verified by anyone here at the airport.

"No word too of casualties. Don't know how the explosion took place, the method if you like. But it certainly seems Brussels airport has been targeted in a terrorist attack.

"We are all being moved out of the airport now towards the emergency exit. There is a great deal of confusion here. Certainly there are a number of very upset, as you might imagine, very frightened people."

He added: "There are fears that there might be other attackers."

Mr Rossi, who had checked his luggage through the main baggage area and was at a departure gate, said he thought he was "fairly close" to the explosions but he could not be sure.

He told Sky News as he was being ushered out of the airport along with other passengers: "We felt the walls of the building rock. Dust came down from the ceiling.

"I think it was a very big explosion - hardly surprising the windows are blown out.

"I would expect if there were people around when those explosions happened - we heard two explosions - there will be a number of casualties."

On the Metro, traveller Evan Lamos tweeted a picture of passengers climbing from his train into the tunnel, saying: "We are being evacuated from the back of the Metro, between Schuman and Maelbeek. Smoke in the tunnel as we evacuate." The picture was reminiscent of images after the July 7 attacks in London.

Images on social media showed the injured being treated in the street.

As well as the airport, the whole Metro system was closed.

The first news of the attack came when the airport was rocked by a double blast with reports of up to 10 dead and many more injured.

Jef Versele, 40, from Ghent, Belgium, was at the airport when he heard the two explosions.

"I was on my way to check in and two bombs went off - two explosions," he said.

"I didn't see anything. Everything was coming down. Glassware. It was chaos it was unbelievable. It was the worst thing."

He added: "People were running away, there were lots of people on the ground. A lot of people are injured."

Mr Versele was two or three storeys above the source of the explosion but he said many people around him were hurt.

"The bomb was coming from downstairs. It was going up through the roof. It was big.

"About 15 windows were just blown out from the entrance hall", he added.

mages on social media showed shattered windows and smoke rising from an airport building.

People could be seen fleeing in terror in video footage shot from an airport car park.

Footage from inside the building showed a scene of devastation with ceiling tiles strewn across the floor and suitcases abandoned.

Passengers were led onto the tarmac and travellers were urged to stay away from the airport.

• Have you been affected by the attacks in Belgium? Email newsroom@shropshirestar.co.uk

In Paris, France's top security official said the country was immediately reinforcing security at airports, train stations and metros.

French officials are condemning the Brussels attacks in the strongest terms.

Prime minister Manuel Valls, speaking after a crisis meeting called by the French president, said "we are at war. We have been subjected for the last few months in Europe to acts of war".

President Francois Hollande said "terrorists struck Brussels but it was Europe that was targeted - and all the world that is concerned".

Mr Hollande also warned that "this war will be long".

Paris said it will light the Eiffel Tower in the colours of the Belgian flag. The city's mayor, Anne Hidalgo, described it in a tweet as a measure of "solidarity with Brussels".

All flights between Birmingham Airport and Brussels have been cancelled today. Brussels airport is closed until 6am tomorrow morning.

Eurostar services to Brussels have all been cancelled.

Brussels Airport, which handles serving 23.5 million passengers per year, told users on Twitter: "There have been 2 explosions at the airport. Building is being evacuated. Don't come to the airport area.

"Don't come to the airport - airport is being evacuated. Avoid the airport area. Flights have been cancelled.

"All airport operations have been suspended until further notice. Follow the information on our website.

"Passengers that are still located in other areas in the airport are asked to remain calm and wait for further information."

Prime Minister David Cameron called a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee and tweeted a message of support, saying: "I am shocked and concerned by the events in Brussels. We will do everything we can to help."

Foreign secretary Philip Hammond, speaking in Downing Street, said: "It's an ongoing incident. We are in contact with the Belgian authorities and we will give them every assistance we can."

All flights between Birmingham Airport and Brussels have been cancelled today and security has been increased at London Gatwick airport.

Flags were flying at half mast in Shropshire today in tribute to those killed and injured in Brussels.

MPs, MEPs and Councillors in Shropshire and Telford today paid tribute to those affected in the attacks.

As Downing Street flew the Belgian flag as a sign of solidarity, Shrewsbury's Shirehall was flying the Union flag at half mast.

Malcolm Pate, leader of Shropshire Council, said: "I'm shocked and greatly saddened by the terrorist attacks in Brussels. My thoughts are with all those who have been killed or seriously injured, and with their families and friends.

"As a mark of respect I am arranging for the Union flag outside Shirehall in Shrewsbury to fly at half-mast today."

Councillor Kuldip Sahota, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council described the incident as "horrific".

He said: "Firstly, my sympathies go out to the friends and families of those who have been killed.

"Secondly, these terrorist attacks have to stop. Together we need to come up with a solution.

"It is Brussels today, who knows where it will be tomorrow."

Abdeslam, suspected as a planner in the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris, was arrested on Friday after a four-month manhunt, in the same neighbourhood in Brussels where he grew up.

But the Belgian authorities fear he had accomplices while on the run who are still at large and could pose a threat.

Belgian prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw told reporters at a news conference in Brussels on Monday: "(It's clear) we have a general threat."

Abdeslam, 26, a French citizen who grew up in Brussels' Molenbeek neighbourhood, slipped through police fingers on several occasions, including the day after the attacks.

He was interviewed three times on Saturday, the day after his capture - once by prosecutors and twice by an investigating judge - and "wasn't in great shape" because he had been shot in the leg by police during his capture, Mr Van Leeuw said.

Belgian prosecutors appealed to the public on Monday for information about a man who allegedly travelled to Hungary last year with Abdeslam.

Najim Laachraoui, 24, is said to have travelled to Syria in February 2013. He was checked by guards at the Austria-Hungary border while driving in a Mercedes with Abdeslam and one other person.

Laachraoui is said to have rented a house under the name of Soufiane Kayal in the Belgian town of Auvelais that was allegedly used as a safe house. Prosecutors said traces of his DNA were found there.

• If you're worried about a friend or relative in Brussels you can call the Foreign Office helpline on +44 207 008 0000