Paris attacks: Eyewitness accounts

Dozens of people have been killed in multiple gun attacks in Paris and a hostage-taking situation. Here are some accounts from witnesses in the city:

'Blood Everywhere'

A witness coming out of the Bataclan concert hall, where up to 60 people were taken hostage, said attackers "fired onto the crowd with a semi-automatic weapon", FranceInfo reported.

"We manage to escape, there was blood everywhere."

READ: Paris attacks kill more than 140

'Pretty Horrific'

Ben Grant was in a bar with his wife when one of the shootings occurred. He said they saw six or seven bodies on the ground and were told shots had been fired from cars.

"There are lots of dead people. It's pretty horrific to be honest... I was at the back of the bar. I couldn't see anything," he said.

"I heard gunshots. People dropped to the ground. We put a table over our heads to protect us.

"We were held up in the bar because there was a pile of bodies in front of us."

'We Heard Two Big Bangs'

Liberation newspaper has quoted Vincent, a journalist who was at the Stade de France, where France was playing Germany in a football game.

"Everybody went onto the pitch. The crowd of anxious people began moving after the final whistle, no one knew what had happened outside. We heard two big bangs in the first half and then another one that was smaller. A helicopter was in the air above the stadium after half time," he said.

"The match carried on as if nothing had happened but we were following everything on Twitter, especially the fact that President Hollande had been evacuated even though none of us saw him leave. I didn't see any of the second half. There was an announcement that people should leave via the south, north and west exits but five minutes later many of the spectators had returned."

'SOUNDED LIKE FIREWORKS'

Jonathon Hill from Cardiff is currently working in Paris. He says he saw a man directing people into the Bataclan concert hall:

"I was getting cash out of an ATM outside the Metro station which is probably about 50-70 yards away from the Bataclan itself. As I was collecting my cash, I heard three distinct firing shots that at first I didn't believe were actual shots from a gun. They almost sounded like fireworks cracking off in the middle of the street.

"And while that happened I saw a guy probably 6' 4" - 6' 5", quite a heavy set man, looked Caucasian from about 50 yards away. And he was in the middle of the street shouting "Allez! Allez!" at people. He almost seemed to be a good Samaritan telling people to get out of from the cafes and go inside. As that happened I saw another shot and I saw someone collapse to the floor outside the Bataclan."

'IT'S WAR HERE'

An unnamed witness who was in the standing area at the Bataclan rock concert and encountered a gunman before fleeing was quoted by Liberation.

"It was a concert where the music was loud. I heard the shots, I turned around and I saw a silhouette with a cap who stood near the back door. He fired in my direction.

"People began to drop and throw themselves to the ground. I thought that the guy next to me was dead. I think this is the case.

"I ran, I jumped the barrier and left with the first wave of the crowd near the stage. I went out through the emergency exit at the opposite end of the room.

"We hid in a cafe, barricaded on the first floor. When we told people what had happened they believed us immediately. It's war here, there were shots fired just a very short time ago.

"All we can hear are sirens, we are waiting to be evacuated from the Boulevard du Calvaire cafe."