Six people have been killed after a car drove at high speed into a group of Belgian carnival performers who were preparing a parade early on Sunday. Local authorities said a further 10 people were seriously injured.

Two people in the vehicle were detained. Law officials say the incident, which occurred in the southern Belgium village of Strepy-Bracquegnies at around 0400 GMT, did not appear to be a militant attack. 

Jacques Gobert, mayor of the neighbouring town of La Louviere, said between 150-200 people were gathered to get ready for the annual folklore parade, involving costumes and drums.

"A speeding car drove into the crowd. The driver then continued on his way," Gobert told a news conference. 

Prosecutor Damien Verheyen told reporters: "At this stage, there are no elements to suggest that the attack had a terrorist motive." 

Police denied media reports the car was involved in a high-speed chase.

"We heard an immense noise...and the car literally went into the group of people," said Bel RTL reporter Fabrice Collignon, who witnessed the event.

Belgium has sought to root out people suspected of militant links over the past seven years. A Brussels-based Islamic State cell was involved in attacks on Paris in 2015 that killed 130 people and on Brussels in 2016 in which 32 died.

Ramming vehicles into crowds has become more common as a weapon used by militants in Europe and white supremacists in the United States because such attacks are inexpensive, easy to organise and hard for authorities to prevent, experts say.