Gary Barnes, 70, and Jane Barnes, 72, were watching the Liverpool FC trophy parade when they decided to go inside a nearby hotel to go to use the loo.
16:53, 27 May 2025Updated 17:01, 27 May 2025
Police officers stand guard by the Liverpool Town Hall following an incident in Water Street (rear), on the sidelines of an open-top bus victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League title win, in Liverpool, north-west England on May 26, 2025. A car collided with a number of pedestrians in Liverpool, northern England, on May 26 evening during Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade, police said. Police said they were contacted shortly after 6pm (1700 GMT) 'following reports of a collision between a car and a number of pedestrians' in the city centre. One man has been arrested, according to the police, who did not say whether there were any casualties
Police officers were quickly on the scene(Image: Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
A couple who were watching the Liverpool FC trophy parade say that going inside a Premier Inn to go to the toilet may have "saved their lives."
Gary Barnes, 70, and Jane Barnes, 72, were enjoying the celebrations when they decided to go inside a nearby hotel to use the loo. However, while they were inside a car slammed into fans who were watching the parade right where they were stood.
Some 11 people remain in hospital and around 50 people in total received hospital treatment after a vehicle was driven into the crowd on Monday night.
The couple came out of the toilet to discover the chaos - and they believe making that decision to go into the hotel might have saved their lives.
Gary said: "We went off to go to the toilet fortunately and we came back and it just happened. We didn't see it happening. We didn't know what was happening.
Emergency services at the scene
Emergency services at the scene(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Article continues below
"But going inside that toilet could have saved our lives. That's genuinely how we feel after seeing all the horror."
Jane added: "A man came over and said that a car had just run over somebody and it was behind us. The police were here."
The couple have said that the emergency services were "fantastic" and said two police officers in an unmarked car "ran like hell" to the scene.
Gary said: "The police were fantastic. Two guys got out of an unmarked police car and they ran like hell.
Thousands were in attendance at the parade
Thousands were in attendance at the parade
"They were parked next to us and dived out of the car and ran to the scene."
Jane added: "The ambulances were coming. Luckily, all the police were there because there were so many after the parade so they were on it straight away."
The couple were initially left in shock but now it's "hit her more."
She said: "It's hit me more this morning, because I'm thinking about it. There's kids involved which is terrible."
Article continues below
A 53-year-old man, of the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving whilst unfit through drugs.
He remains in custody.