Brave Liverpool heroes desperately tried to stop driver before car ploughed fans
Half a million fans had packed the streets to give a heroes' reception to their Liverpool idols after watching their team lift the Premier League trophy, when a car smashed into pedestrians
Liverpool: Scene outside Anfield morning after parade horror
Brave football fans made a selfless bid to stop a car from driving through the crowds of Liverpool supporters, which left 47 injured.
About 500,000 fans packed the streets to give a raucous reception to their heroes, after watching their team lift the Premier League trophy for a record-tying 20th top-flight title. But, it soon turned into tragedy after a car ploughed into pedestrians. Police confirmed a 53-year-old white British man was arrested at the scene.
Ambulances took 27 people to the hospital, including two with serious injuries, and another 20 people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, following the horror incident at about 6pm yesterday, just as fans were heading home after the victory parade.
It should have been a day of celebration, but quickly soured into a devastating scene when a dark grey Ford Galaxy drove through a crowd of supporters.
Chris Jones, from Liverpool, was with friends at the parade when he witnessed a car heading towards Water Street, and saw hero fans trying to stop the driver.
He told MailOnline: "He was trying to force his way through and fans were banging on his window, shouting at him for going the wrong way. It was all supposed to be cordoned off, so he'd gone through barriers.
"He started reversing then went forward, beeped his horn, then started going towards the Town Hall. Someone managed to open his door, then he slammed it shut and careered off. People were chasing him down the road, banging on his windows.
"I just thought it was someone who'd gone the wrong way. Next minute, some guy came running back towards us, screaming.
"I didn't correlate the two. It just turned into absolute chaos. There were fireworks still going off, so that just added to the sense of panic. People didn't know what was really going on, but you could hear the noise, the screams. It's just horrific."
Peter Jones, 44, from the Isle of Man, recalled how he heard a "frantic beeping noise" before a car sped past him and his friends.
He said: 'We heard a frantic beeping ahead and a car flew past me and my mate. People were chasing it and trying to stop him. A lot of people were injured.'
Harry Rashid, 48, from the Midlands, described how selfless crowds began trying to smash the car windows to stop the driver.
He said: 'The driver stalled for a few seconds, probably about ten. Then loads of people a bit further back started rushing at him trying to smash his windows.
'But then he put his foot down again and just ploughed through the rest of them. It was horrible. So many innocent people, fans just wanting to enjoy the parade, were hurt.
'I just wanted my kids to get off the road regardless because I couldn't trust whether there's a follow-up attack or something like that, because you're just exposed there on the pavement.
'It was all horrendous, so horrendous.'
Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said the "horrific incident" was not being treated as terrorism following the arrest of a 53-year-old man at the scene. The suspect is a white British man from the Liverpool area.
"The car stopped at the scene and a 53-year-old white, British man from the Liverpool area was arrested.
"We believe him to be the driver of the vehicle." Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes appalling and hailed the bravery of rescuers.
'Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror,' Starmer said. 'The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.'
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