First responders tell Princess Anne they are 'very very fortunate' there were no major injuries in Liverpool car rampage
The Princess Royal has met with medical staff who treated those injured when a car drove into crowds at the Liverpool victory parade.
Anne, 74, headed to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital on Tuesday where she met nurses, consultants and paramedics, as well as representatives from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the football club, after 47 people were injured on Water Street on Monday.
Staff told the Kings's sister they were 'very, very fortunate' there were not more major injuries.
Divisional medical director for surgery at Aintree University Hospital Marc Lucky told the princess they had put out an alert for staff to come in.
He said: 'It's a very good example of the resilience and people volunteering. We had too many people, which is a very interesting complaint to have.'
He told the royal the injuries were not 'major traumas'.
He said: 'We were very, very fortunate yesterday, I must say.'
Consultant Jay Rathore said: 'Most of the injuries were limb injuries. No life-threatening, we were able to manage them.'
Specialist paramedic Susan McCormick told Anne she was one of the first responders on scene as she and a colleague were treating a man for something unrelated when the incident happened.
Advanced paramedic Gary Fitzpatrick told Anne: 'We actually had a plan before the event so we were quite prepared for the situation.'
Nurses told Anne that planning they had done for major incidents kicked in on the day and processes worked.
Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson thanked Anne for her visit.
He said: 'We really appreciate you still coming, because it will mean a lot to the people of the city.'
The princess was already due to be in Liverpool on Tuesday to visit Cunard ship the Queen Anne, which arrived on Monday as part of the shipping line's 185th anniversary celebrations.
A photo exhibition which had been due to be held to celebrate the anniversary was cancelled following the incident at the parade.
It comes as the King, Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales all issued statements about the attacks.
The King has said he was 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the crash during Liverpool's Premier League title parade.
A total of 27 people, including four children, were taken to hospital and 20 were treated at the scene after a people carrier rammed through crowds along Water Street, in the Liverpool city centre, at around 6pm on Monday.
A 53-year-old white British man from Liverpool was arrested, Merseyside Police said, adding that he is believed to be the driver.
King Charles, 76, released a statement on Tuesday afternoon at the same time as the Prince and Princess of Wales, while Princess Anne paid a surprise visit to first responders at a major hospital in Liverpool.
In a statement released along with Queen Camilla, Charles said: 'My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the terrible events that took place in Liverpool on Monday.
'It is truly devastating to see that what should have been a joyous celebration for so many could end in such distressing circumstances.
'At this heartbreaking time for the people of Liverpool, I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.'
The King added that their 'prayers and deepest sympathy are with all those who have been affected' and thanked the emergency crews who rushed to the aid of those injured.
William and Kate also interrupted their half-term break to share a message.
Sharing a message on their social media accounts, Prince William and Kate wrote: 'We are deeply saddened by the scenes in Liverpool yesterday.
'What should have been a joyful celebration ended with tragedy.
'Our thoughts are with those who were injured and to the first responders and emergency services on the ground.
The driver who ploughed into football fans during Liverpool's trophy parade 'tailgated' an ambulance to access the 'closed' road where the horror smash unfolded.
Police are today facing major questions over how the people carrier accessed Water Street, a packed road in the city centre, before it rammed into a huge crowd at around 6pm on Bank Holiday Monday, leaving 47 injured.
A total of 27 people have been taken to hospital following the horrific incident, including four children. One child was trapped under the car with three adults when firefighters arrived to save them.
Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said the 'big question' was how the Ford Galaxy was able to plough into the crowd, adding: 'Water Street was not a route where vehicles were supposed to be using it, it was blocked off.'
A source has now told the Mail that there were bollards at the top of the road, at the junction of Dale Street close to the Town Hall, but these were moved to allow an ambulance to get through and the driver 'tailgated' it to access Water Street.
Another witness, who was forced to jump out the way of the oncoming vehicle, said the driver 'navigated' past a 'road closed' sign.
Up to one million Liverpool fans had jubilantly gathered to celebrate the club winning the Premier League title with a 10-mile trophy parade through the city centre.
But the celebration turned to carnage at around 6pm when a row broke out between the driver and spectators. Footage on social media appears to show a man banging on the window after the driver backed into the crowd surrounding the vehicle.
Another man then approaches the car and kicks the rear windscreen, prompting the driver to reverse back into him.
Tensions mount as the car moves back and forth, with at least two spectators punching and kicking the vehicle. The man who was reversed into appears to smash the rear windscreen after chasing the vehicle and launching a missile.
Separate video, taken at the same time, shows another fan opening the car door, before the driver pulls it shut and accelerates down Dale Street. Later footage shows then Ford trying to drive into the crowd on the connecting Water Street.
Several people are seen striking the car as it moves past an ambulance and ploughs through the crowd, knocking over multiple people in its path.
As the crowd evade the car, it swerves through the street, hitting more people before it eventually comes to a halt and is surrounded by fans and police.
At least 47 members of the crowd were injured, with 20 treated at the scene and 27 hospitalised. Mr Rotheram confirmed this morning there are 'still four people who are very, very ill in hospital' - including one child.
Jack Trotter, one of the victims who was rushed to hospital, said he remains in 'agony' after being discharged and described it as 'the most horrifying incident I've ever experienced in my life'.
In what has been described as an 'unprecedented' move, Merseyside Police quickly confirmed a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, adding that it wasn't being treated as terrorism.
It comes after the same police force was criticised over the Southport murders last summer after riots engulfed Britain over false rumours the killer was a Muslim asylum seeker.
But police in charge of planning the trophy parade were today facing serious questions over how a driver was able to access Water Street.
Ross Welsh, who had to jump out of the way of the oncoming vehicle, said cars on Water Street were able to pass further up the road, but the driver 'navigated' past the 'road closed' sign.
Mr Welsh, who had travelled to the parade from Belfast, told BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show: 'Then there it was beeping and it screeched its tyres to brake. We had to jump to get out of the way. It wasn't very, very close, but it was close enough that we felt we had to get out of the way quick.'
It comes after Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims last night told a press conference that there were 'robust' traffic management measures in place for the parade.
However, neither Dale Street or Water were advertised as being part of 'fixed' closures before the event although 'rolling' road closures were anticipated along the route.
It is understood that Water Street was closed to traffic as part of a rolling road block as the parade reached the city centre.
Referring to how the driver 'tailgated' an ambulance down Water Street, a source told the Mail: 'It looks as if he has panicked when he realised he was in the crowd and people began banging on his car.
A fan with a flag wrapped around him tried to open the door but the driver slammed it shut
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, said questions need to be asked about how the driver was able to access a 'road which should have been closed'.
The parade bus had passed along The Strand, the main road along the famous waterfront which was closed to traffic, just moments earlier. But Water Street, which runs off it, was packed with people walking into the city to catch trains, buses and taxis home.
Later footage seemingly showed that, by the time the car reached the end of Dale Street and entered Water Street, its back window had been smashed. The driver then appeared to lose control and ploughed into the crowds.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this morning said the whole country 'stands with Liverpool', describing the incident as 'scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation'.
The royals also released statements on Tuesday afternoon. The King said he was 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the crash during Liverpool's Premier League title parade, adding: 'I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.'
The Prince and Princess of Wales have said they are 'deeply saddened' by the Liverpool parade crash, adding: 'What should have been a joyful celebration ended with tragedy.'
Meanwhile, Princess Anne paid a surprise visit to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to speak to medics and first responders who treated those injured in the parade carnage.
The royal, 74, was in the city for another event and changed her plans so she could visit staff. A number of those wounded in the incident on Monday night were taken to the hospital, the largest in the city.
Mr Rotheram said the 'big question' was how the horror unfolded. 'Water Street was not a route where vehicles were supposed to be using it, it was blocked off,' he said.
'At this end of it, which is the direction that it was coming in, towards The Strand, there were literally hundreds of thousands of people here, so no vehicle would have got through anyway.
'And the questions, I suppose, are legitimate, but we have to give the police the time to conclude their investigations, which is what they're doing.'
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