At least two people are reported to have been killed and several hurt in The Netherlands after a car careered into spectators watching a royal motorcade.

People were flung through the air after the car swerved across police railings

A photographer said the small car appeared to be deliberately driving at high speed toward an open-top bus carrying Queen Beatrix and her family in the western Dutch town of Apeldoorn.

Cynthia Boll said she saw about 20 people “flying through the air” after the black Suzuki car swerved across police railings, where crowds of people were waiting to see the queen pass.

The car slammed into a monument. Video footage showed police removing a man from the vehicle and putting him into an ambulance.

The royal family were seen clutching their hands to their mouths in shock as the incident happened before their eyes.

People have been tweeting about the crash, saying the royals saw what happened and were shocked.

The royal bus was not hit and no one in the queen’s entourage was injured.

Journalist Peter von de Vorst said the incident was like watching a horror movie.

“It was a really nice day. Then you hear a bang. Everyone looks up and you see people flying through the air. This must be a joke or a strange prank. Then suddenly panic, and you realise that something really terrible has happened,” he said.

Dutch television said two people were killed and about a dozen injured, including children.

Shortly after the incident, investigators and a sniffer dog examined the car for explosives, then sawed off the roof for a closer inspection.

People were lining railings five or six deep to see the royal family pass on its way to a palace. The motorcade was part of celebrations for the annual national holiday of Queen’s Day.

Fred de Graaf, the Mayor of Apeldoorn – a town about 55 miles from Amsterdam – said all festivities were being cancelled.

“The scare and the images that the family has seen are reason to break off the official programme,” he said.

Holiday events were also called off in the port city of Rotterdam, and more were likely to be cancelled around the country.

Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the main Dutch cities to celebrate the national holiday, originally intended to celebrate the birthday of Beatrix’s mother Queen Juliana.

The royal family normally spends the day in a small Dutch community.