A day of celebration turned to chaos in Liverpool city centre after a car drove into a crowd of football fans during the club’s Premier League trophy parade, leaving 47 people injured
News
08:13, 27 May 2025
Police and other emergency services attend a serious incident after the Liverpool Premier League trophy parade
Liverpool Premier League Title Parade, Premier League, Football, Liverpool, UK - 26 May 2025
The crash has left 47 people injured(Image: Phil Bryan/Shutterstock)
A man who survived the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 was among those knocked over by a car that ploughed into a huge crowd of football fans in Liverpool on Monday, leaving 47 people injured.
A day of triumph in the city centre soon turned to chaos after the car sped into a crowd celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League trophy parade. The incident happened just after 6pm on Water Street, where thousands had gathered to mark Liverpool FC’s 20th league title - a historic moment for the club.
Emergency services swarmed the scene, treating 20 people for injuries on site, while 27 others - including four children - were rushed to hospitals across the city. Witnesses described scenes of panic and disbelief as the vehicle rammed into the densely packed crowd. The parade was immediately halted, and roads were cordoned off as police launched an investigation into the cause.
A large emergency service presence on Water Street
A large emergency service presence on Water Street(Image: Getty Images)
Officers later confirmed a "53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area" had been arrested. One fan who survived the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 was in the crowd during Monday's parade when he was struck by a car and knocked to the floor. Frankie, 24, told the Mail: "I was at the Manchester Arena incident. I don't want to go out again. The side of the car went into me and I fell to the floor. It's all a blur. I've got cuts and bruises and I'll be fine but there's loads who have got more severe injuries."
Robby Potter, who suffered some of the worst injuries when shrapnel tore through his heart during the Manchester Arena bombing, was also at the parade. The Liverpool fan, from Wirral, was left "shaking" and told said he was "seconds" down the street from the chaos. "I was 10 seconds in front. I'm shaking," he added. "I said areas away from the main parade could be targets. I said this in interviews."
The car ploughing into a huge crowd of football fans
The car ploughed into a huge crowd of football fans(Image: @EFC5555/X)
Patrick Milligan, 25, from Wigan said: "We all had the best day of our lives watching the parade and then it was like a tsunami within about five minutes of the parade finishing. It was horrific. The car just swerved into the crowd at speed and everyone was screaming. We now know our families are okay but at the time, I had no idea if my brothers or sisters were under the car. My Nan's 84 so we were all fearing the worst."
Three adults and one child were thought to be trapped underneath the car and had to be rescued by fire crews. Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims of Merseyside Police said: "My thoughts are with all those injured in tonight's horrific incident. This had been a joyous day in Liverpool with hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets to celebrate Liverpool Football Club's parade. Sadly, at 6pm as the parade was drawing to a close, we received reports that a car was in collision with a number of pedestrians in Water Street."
Sims have said the event is being treated as an isolated incident, and are not searching for anyone else in connection with the crash. "We believe this to be an isolated incident and are not currently looking for anyone else. The incident is not being treated as terrorism."