Twelve people have been fatally shot in an attack at the Paris headquarters of a French satirical magazine.

East Anglian Daily Times: Photo from @julienrbcc of the scene in Paris, France, after ten people were shot dead in an attack at the offices of a French satirical magazine. Credit: @julienrbcc/PA.Photo from @julienrbcc of the scene in Paris, France, after ten people were shot dead in an attack at the offices of a French satirical magazine. Credit: @julienrbcc/PA.

Police reports say several masked gunmen stormed the offices of the weekly Charlie Hebdo magazine.

Five people are also said to be critically injured.

Eyewitnesses said the men were armed with machine guns.

It is thought the attack is in response to the magazine’s publication of crude caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.

France has raised its security alert to the highest level, and president Francois Hollande has visited the scene.

The gunmen are still at large