Woman and child dragged under car as it ploughed through Liverpool parade
A witness of the Liverpool shock car smash has told of the shock moment he saw one woman disappearing beneath the chassis of the black Ford Galaxy involved in the incident
Shocked witnesses have told of the "horrendous" moment a woman was dragged underneath a car that plowed into a crowd of Liverpool FC fans.
Thousands of people were revelling in the football club's triumphant return to the city on Monday when a car revved into packed crowd working its way down Water Street, near the Strand in the city centre. The collision injured nearly 50 people and left 27 hospitalised, four of whom were in serious condition and still "very ill" this morning. Those who walked away physically unscathed remained haunted by the incident as they watched people being sucked underneath the advancing car.
A 53-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs.
Paul, who witnessed the shock incident in Liverpool, described hearing the car "revving so hard" and seeing people "laid all over" the scene of the horror smash.
He BBC Radio 5 Live: 'We just heard this screaming and we just saw the car coming towards us and he revved so hard, that's all I can get out my head, the car was revving so hard and then there were just people laid all over." Paul added that he saw a woman "laid under the front of the car" during the "horrendous" incident.
He said: "And I just can't get this picture of this poor lady just laid under the front of the car, it was horrendous."
Merseyside Police said on Monday night that firefighters had to rescue four people - one of whom was a child - had become stuck underneath the car, a black Ford Focus. Updating the public this morning, Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said four people remained "very, very ill in hospital", adding in a statement that he hoped they would "pull through very, very quickly".
Deputy Chief Constable Jenny Sims said police have arrested one 53-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs. He remains in police custody while the roughly 11 people still in hospital following the incident appear to be "recovering well".
The horror of Monday night's incident has been tempered by the valiant and kind acts of Liverpudlians, who have come together to help those impacted by the incident.
Paul said that after the city went on lockdown moments after the collision, a group of "lovely girls" welcomed his group into their home and let them sit down "for a couple of hours".
He said: 'And then we dived to some steps at the side which is a block of flats, and after a couple of minutes some people did let us into the flat and some lovely girls actually took us up to their room and let us sit in their room for a couple of hours because it was on lockdown until we were allowed out."
One group of hero scousers saved a visiting family from being hit by the incoming car, with Irish tourists Paul O'Brien and his family recounting the incredible moment they were shoved out of the way before the vehicle passed them "by inches".
Mr O'Brien said: "It passed us by inches, and then it continued and we could actually hear the thuds of people being hit. It was just a terrible scene. There were kids, men and women on the ground. The men who pushed us out of the way were amazing, it was heroic stuff, young Liverpool supporters. They didn't think for a second, only for those people they don't know."
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