Taxi driver ‘locked suicide bomber in his car after spotting explosives’ outside Liverpool hospital

A taxi driver apparently locked a suicide bomber in his car after spotting explosives before a blast ripped through the vehicle outside a maternity hospital in Liverpool on Sunday. 

The explosion, reported at 10:59am, came moments before the nation fell silent to mark Remembrance Day and killed the cab passenger and injured the driver, named locally as David Perry. 

The car passenger, a man, was declared dead at the scene and is yet to be formally identified. Mr Perry was injured and was tonight being treated for ‘non-life threatening’ injuries, which friends said included burns and shrapnel wounds. 

The incident took place as a remembrance service involving scores of military personnel, veterans and civic dignitaries, was happening at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral less than a mile away – with more than 2,000 people in attendance. 

A close friend of Mr Perry’s told MailOnline the family believe the original target was the Remembrance service: ‘The passenger asked David to go to the cathedral so we believe that was the intended target. But they got stuck in heavy traffic so the passenger asked to go to the hospital instead.’

Unconfirmed reports on social media suggested Mr Perry averted disaster by locking his passenger inside. Stephen Thomas said online: ‘The taxi driver 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: ‘It’s my mate who got blown up. He’s in a bad, bad way. He’s a fellow driver on delta. He’s had his ear sewn back on, got burns and shrapnel wounds and other pretty serious injuries. He is a hero. When he noticed the bomb, he locked the scumbag in the car. But took the brunt of the blast.’  

Armed police late on Sunday arrested three men, aged 29, 26 and 21, in Sutcliffe Street, off Boaler Street, in the Kensington area of Liverpool as part of a terror probe into the incident.  Detectives and Army bomb disposal experts are investigating whether the blast was triggered by a suicide bomber. The timing of the incident, at 10.59am on Poppy Day, is being examined.   

A number of locals said armed officers swooped on a terraced house in the afternoon and arrested one suspect after blocking the road with vehicles and cordons. Reports claimed police negotiators were in a stand-off with suspects at the site after armed officers swarmed the street.

Sections of Boaler Street and Sutcliffe Street remained cordoned off, with a heavy police presence at the scene as inquiries continue.  A similar police scene was in place at Rutland Avenue in Sefton Park, with counter-terror officers sighted 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 the road was being evacuated with taxis arriving at the scene to take residents. 

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.’  

Police earlier said the explosion, reported at the maternity hospital at 10:59am, ‘has not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage’ as they urged the public to remain calm, but vigilant. Witnesses said the car windows blew out and the windscreen was thrown from the car. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘My thoughts are with all those affected by the awful incident in Liverpool today. I want to thank the emergency services for their quick response and professionalism, and the police for their ongoing work on the investigation.’

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.’ 

A fundraiser was set up for Mr Perry which praised him for ‘quick-thinking’ which ‘possibly saved a lot of lives’.  

Mr Perry was hailed as a hero for his actions on Sunday. Billy Darwin said: ‘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.’

Earlier, a spokesman for Merseyside Police said: ‘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.’  

Last night residents were evacuated from homes around Sutcliffe Street and Boaler Street in Kensington and Rutland Avenue in Sefton Park. Locals said armed police ordered residents to leave, saying the area ‘wasn’t safe.’

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.

Taxis were also seen arriving in Rutland Avenue for families who were escorted away with luggage.

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.’ 

Kathy Thomson, chief executive of 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 visiting access had been restricted ‘until further notice’. 

Patients have been diverted to other hospitals ‘where possible’. Staff were also being escorted to and from the site by police, who stood guard at the perimeter.     

In a statement, the hospital 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.   

Officers along with crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the North West Regional Ambulance Service attended the city centre site.   

Phil Garrigan, chief fire officer of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, said the car fire at Liverpool Women’s Hospital 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 @LiverpoolWomens. 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. Follow @MerseyPolice for more.

‘Patients and visitors of @LiverpoolWomens are advised to visit liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk for the most up to date information. Our thoughts are with all affected.’ 

Counter Terrorism Police are leading the investigation, supported by Merseyside Police, a spokesman for the force confirmed.

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 (Sunday, 14 November) 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 have triggered our information channels – to inform the local community and businesses about what information we do have and can provide

‘We would urge the public to remain calm (but vigilant). To keep updated on what is happening, keep watching the news and checking the Merseyside Police website.

‘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 CT detectives are leading as we try to understand the circumstances behind the explosion.’

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.

‘The next 24 hours will be critical to the investigation, as a result the hospital will need to cancel patient visits to assist this process.

‘For those who have appointments at the Women’s over the next 24 hours please do not come to the hospital until you have been contacted by staff and instructed to do so.

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

‘I thank everyone for their cooperation so far and will look to share more Twitter updates from Mersey Police when the information becomes available.’

Images of a vehicle on fire, and later burnt out, at the scene earlier were shared online.

Footage of a number of explosions and billowing smoke outside the hospital were also shared as a bomb disposal unit attended.