A man has relived the "terrifying moment" the car which injured 79 people during the Liverpool FC trophy parade "brushed" past him before slamming into fans seconds later.
David Wilkinson, 61, was walking along Water Street in the city alongside his wife Breda, 62, when he saw the car heading towards him.
He says the vehicle brushed his arm before he jumped out of the road - moments before it hit unsuspecting fans.
David said: "We had just made it to the top of the street and we could hear this car coming - it was beeping its horn.
"It headed for me and brushed my arm as it went past - I jumped out of the road just in time.
"We continued walking up the street and saw people sitting on the floor we thought the car must have hit those people before heading for us.
"We didn't realise the main incident was so close behind us.
"It was only until watching the news later on were we found out the full scale of what happened."
David Wilkinson, 61, was walking along Water Street in the city during the Liverpool FC Victory Parade alongside his wife Breda, 62, when he saw the car heading towards himDavid Wilkinson, 61, was walking along Water Street in the city during the Liverpool FC Victory Parade alongside his wife Breda, 62, when he saw the car heading towards him
David Wilkinson, 61, was walking along Water Street in the city during the Liverpool FC Victory Parade alongside his wife Breda, 62, when he saw the car heading towards him | SWNS
Before the car brushed past, David he recalls seeing around 20 people chasing after the vehicle - he initially suspected it had been stolen.
David, of Ballymena, Northern Ireland, said before the incident the everybody was just "joyous" describing it as a "party atmosphere".
He said: "It is the last thing on your mind that anything like this would happen.
"I hope that everyone who was involved is okay.
"You just don't want things that has to happen a joyous occasion."
Joe Hosford, who has been a Liverpool FC fan all of his life, had travelled from his home in Cork, Ireland, to visit his family and to watch the parade.
He says he wanted yesterday (Monday) to be remembered as the day that Liverpool won the Premier League, but instead it will be remembered by this "tragedy."
AFP via Getty Images
Joe, 36, said: "It's really devastating because you want to always remember today as when Liverpool won the Premier League and the celebrations.
"Then this tragedy has happened.
"It's always going to be in people's minds."
John Whitfield, 56, was enjoying his tea on the nearby Albert Docks with his cousin when he caught wind of the news.
He said: "My wife called me at 7pm to ask if I was okay - 'I asked her why what's wrong?' - that's when she sent me all these videos.
John said upon watching the video the restaurant "lost its atmosphere."
He revealed: "You could see people looking at the first video that come out, and it just went from that euphoria to a feeling that everyone was just devastated.
"It was visible on everyones faces that they were absolutely devastated.
"The whole weekend's been a carnival - up until that point, it was the best weekend you could imagine.
"But for this to happen, it is just shocking, just unbelievable - everyone's evening was ruined."
Police officers stand on duty at a cordon at the entrance to Water Street on May 26.Police officers stand on duty at a cordon at the entrance to Water Street on May 26.
Police officers stand on duty at a cordon at the entrance to Water Street on May 26. | AFP via Getty Images
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.
But while they were inside, a car had slammed into fans who were watching the parade right where they were stood.
The couple then came out of the toilet to discover the chaos - and say that they believe going in 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.
“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."
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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.
"They were parked next to us and dived out of the car and ran to the scene."
Crime Scene Investigators at the scene of the Liverpool FC parade incident on Water Street on May 27, 2025 in Liverpool.Crime Scene Investigators at the scene of the Liverpool FC parade incident on Water Street on May 27, 2025 in Liverpool.
Crime Scene Investigators at the scene of the Liverpool FC parade incident on Water Street on May 27, 2025 in Liverpool. | Getty Images
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."
Driver Paul Doyle, 53, of Burghill Road, West Derby, is accused of multiple offences after dozens of people were hurt during Liverpool FC’s victory parade celebrations on Monday (May 26). Shortly after 6pm, a Ford Galaxy ploughed into a crowd of fans, leaving 79 people injured and many taken to hospital.
Doyle is charged with seven offences including: two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of dangerous driving.
Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard this morning that all of the alleged offences - excluding the dangerous driving charge - could only be dealt with by the Crown Court. District Judge Paul Healey also confirmed he had imposed reporting restrictions on the names of the six alleged victims, including four adults.
A trial date has been set of November 24.
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