Pictured: Taxi driver ‘who locked suicide bomber in his car’ outside Liverpool hospital

A taxi driver was hailed as a hero last night after locking a suspicious passenger in his cab moments before the vehicle blew up outside a hospital in what police are probing as a potential Poppy Day terror attack.

The explosion destroyed cabbie David Perry’s car in a fireball outside the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, seconds before the 11am minute’s silence was due to take place. The male passenger, who had asked to go to the city’s Service of Remembrance, was the only person killed.

Amazingly married father-of-two Mr Perry, who was standing nearby, suffered just cuts, bruises and damage to his ear drum. Last night he was discharged from hospital, friends told MailOnline.

In response to the explosion, anti-terror police carried out raids across the city yesterday, arresting three men under the Terrorism Act and evacuating dozens of homes in an operation that remained ongoing into Monday morning.

Despite the shock of staff and patients at Europe’s largest maternity hospital as the vehicle burned yards from their front door, sources close to Mr Perry’s family today told MailOnline how it was not thought to be the original target of the suspected bombing and that the driver’s actions potentially saved dozens of lives.

Sources said the experienced cabbie picked up a fare who initially asked to be taken to Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, half a mile from the hospital, where a Remembrance Sunday parade ended and a memorial event featuring thousands of servicemen, veterans and dignitaries was being held.

‘They couldn’t get there, the roads were blocked off,’ one friend of Mr Perry said. ‘The man changed his mind and asked to go to the city centre instead.

‘But when they were going past the Women’s Hospital he said to pull in there. It was just before 11. David noticed the man had some kind of light attached to his clothing and was messing around with it, it didn’t look right at all.

‘I don’t know how he’s done it with a split second’s thought but David’s jumped out and locked the car with this guy in the back. As soon as he did, it’s gone off. David’s the luckiest man in Britain as well as the most heroic, if this guy got in the hospital God knows what could have happened.’

Another friend added: ‘David suffered cuts and bruises, a perforated ear drum and needed stitches in his ear. He’ll be sore in the morning but he’s home. I’m just glad no new babies were leaving at the time. For David to have probably been terrified and think so fast and then end up OK – it’s amazing.’

A fundraiser was last night set up by some of Mr Perry’s Liverpool taxi driver colleagues to help him and his family recover from the ordeal. It had made £8,500 within hours.

One theory police are probing is that the detonators on a potential bomb exploded but not the main charge. That would be a repeat of the failed 21/7 bombings three weeks after the 7/7 atrocity.

In the immediate aftermath of the blast local police handed command of the incident to the North West Counter Terror force based in Manchester. They stressed it was ‘out of caution’ and that the blast had not officially been deemed a terror attack.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted his thanks to the emergency services for their ‘for their quick response and professionalism’. ‘My thoughts are with all those affected by the awful incident in Liverpool today,’ he added.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said she is being updated on the ‘awful incident’. Liverpool’s Mayor Joanne Anderson said the news was ‘unsettling and upsetting’, adding: ‘My thoughts are with those affected.’

As the police investigation developed three men aged 21, 26 and 29 were arrested as armed officers stormed a home in the inner-city Kensington area of Liverpool within 90 minutes of the explosion. They were being quizzed overnight.

One Kensington resident, 21, said: ‘They grabbed two men and handcuffed them behind their backs.’ Chris Lee, 31, said: ‘They were bundled into the van. They had grabbed them from one of the houses. I had never seen them before.’

Sections of Boaler Street and Sutcliffe Street remained cordoned off, with a heavy police presence at the scene as inquiries continued today.

A similar police scene was in place at Rutland Avenue several miles away in Sefton Park, with a large number of armed officers seen in the neighbourhood.

Locals said police arrived from about 1pm as officers went on to guard a terraced property as the immediate surrounding area was cordoned off. Around 11:30pm, witnesses said roads were being evacuated, with taxis and at least two minibuses arriving at the scene to take residents to alternative accommodation.

Shortly before 10pm Ryan O’Neill tweeted that armed police ‘pointing guns at the house’ gave him five minutes to pack and leave Boaler Street with his partner and children.

Counter-terror negotiators were also called to the scene and facilities for residents were being set up in a nearby leisure centre. 

Police early Monday said: ‘A large cordon is in place on Rutland Avenue in Liverpool and a small number of addresses have been evacuated as a precaution.

‘This is part of our ongoing enquiries into the car explosion outside the city’s Women’s hospital on Sunday morning.’

No description was available for the taxi passenger, who was declared dead at the scene.

Footage filmed from the hospital showed the car burning fiercely as voices can be heard gasping in shock. A shocked man is seen holding his head in his hands before being led away by hospital staff.

Locals described hearing a loud bang and seeing smoke rising from the hospital grounds just before 11am.

Father-of-two Matt Kerr, 52, said: ‘I had just sat down to watch the Remembrance Sunday service as my family have served in the army when I heard a bang.

‘I did a double take and just wondered what it was. I looked out and saw smoke, then there were police everywhere and helicopters. It’s scary to think someone might have wanted to hurt women and children.’

Mother-of-one Emily Makefield, 32, said: ‘I was walking nearby when I heard a bang and saw the smoke. It’s terrifying this could happen at a women’s hospital. It’s shocking.’

Shop worker Sandra Hughes, 35, said: ‘I saw people being turned away from hospital and police everywhere. It’s terrifying to think someone might have wanted to attack a hospital.’

Social media was last night flooded with praise for the taxi driver’s heroism.

Stephen Thomas said online: ‘He is my mate, and he spotted the passenger acting suspicious. He’s in hospital, luckily he escaped just before, but he did suffer some injuries.’

Kev Cuthbertson also wrote on Facebook: ‘He is a hero, when he noticed the bomb he locked the scumbag in the car but took the brunt of the blast.’

Billy Darwin added: ‘I’ve heard he has injuries, so on behalf of us all on here I wish this Liverpool hero a speedy recovery.

‘He put his life on the line and nearly paid the ultimate price to save others – apparently not giving anything a second thought besides making sure he went above and beyond to keep the people of our city safe.’

Marie Davies said: ‘He stopped by the women’s hospital and locked the man in his cab after noticing the device.’

Phil Garrigan, chief fire officer of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, said the car fire was ‘fully developed’ when two appliances arrived shortly after 11am.

He told reporters at the scene: ‘The operational crews extinguished the fire rapidly but as has been reiterated by the police chief constable, there was one fatality.

‘Another individual had left the vehicle prior to the fire developing to the extent that it did. Our thoughts are with them and the families of those involved.’

In a statement, North West Ambulance Service said: ‘At 10.59am today we were called to reports of a car explosion [at Liverpool Women’s Hospital]. We were on scene by 11.04am.

‘One person has died and another person was treated for serious but not life-threatening injuries, before being taken to hospital.’

In a statement, the hospital, which was featured on the hit Channel 4 series One Born Every Minute and looks after around 50,000 patients a year, said: ‘We are reviewing our patient activity for the next 24-48 hours and patients should wait to be contacted for updates about any planned appointments or other attendance at the hospital.

‘Our staff are being permitted to leave and enter the hospital under the supervision of Merseyside Police.

‘We would like to say thank you for the co-operation and support of our patients, visitors and staff who have been impacted by this incident, in particular those members of staff who were at the scene at the time of the incident.’

Women were told to avoid the hospital over the next 24 hours unless directly contacted by staff and told to attend their appointments.

In a statement, Home Secretary Ms Patel said: ‘I am being kept regularly updated on the awful incident at Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

‘Our police and emergency services are working hard to establish what happened and it is right they are given the time and space to do so.’

Mayor Anderson said: ‘This morning’s tragic incident at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital has understandably caused a great deal of concern.

‘Given the police investigation is ongoing, we need to refrain from speculation so that the facts can be established.

‘The emergency services have been excellent in their handling of this incident and I offer them my sincere thanks. The response time to the scene was fantastically swift and the vehicle fire was out within minutes ensuring any other damage to property or harm to individuals was contained.

‘This incident has clearly had a big impact on the hospital itself, especially the patients, their families and staff.’

She added: ‘It is vitally important that everyone remains calm during this stressful situation and allow the police to conduct their investigation in the appropriate manner.’

Merseyside Police chief constable, Serena Kennedy, said: ‘This has not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage although out of caution [counter-terrorism] detectives are leading as we try to understand the circumstances behind the explosion.

‘So far we understand that the car involved was a taxi which pulled up at the hospital shortly before the explosion occurred. Work is still going on to establish what has happened and could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything.

‘We are keeping an open mind as to what caused the explosion, but given how it has happened – out of caution – counter terrorism police are leading the investigation supported by Merseyside Police. Our response is ongoing at the hospital and will be for some time. Cordons are in place, and there are some road closures.’

A spokesman for Merseyside Police told MailOnline it could take ‘some time’ to confirm what happened but that a major incident had been declared.

‘We can confirm that at 10.59am today police were called to reports of a car explosion at the Women’s Hospital in Liverpool city centre,’ the statement said.

‘Police immediately attended, along with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the North West Regional Ambulance Service.

‘Unfortunately, we can confirm that one person has died and another has been taken to hospital where he is being treated for his injuries, which thankfully are not life threatening.

‘So far we understand that the car involved was a taxi which pulled up at the hospital shortly before the explosion occurred.

‘Work is still going on to establish what has happened, and could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything.’

The spokesman added: ‘We are keeping an open mind as to what caused the explosion but given how it has happened, out of caution, Counter Terrorism Police are leading the investigation supported by Merseyside Police.

‘The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents. Our response is ongoing at the hospital and will be for some time. Cordons are in place, and there are some road closures.

‘We would urge the public to remain calm (but vigilant).

‘We would like to thank the public for their patience and their cooperation today which has already greatly assisted our policing response.

‘We will issue updates as soon as we have more information.

‘This has not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage although out of caution [counter-terror] detectives are leading as we try to understand the circumstances behind the explosion.’