Twenty-seven people taken to hospital, two have sustained serious injuries
Kitchen said four of the injured were children. He said 20 people were treated for minor injuries. Twenty-seven were taken to hospital and two of them, including one child, are thought to have sustained serious injuries.
“This is indeed an appalling incident and we understand that people will be deeply upset. The people of Liverpool have shown many times before that you are a strong community and you support one another.
“All of us at North West ambulance service share with you the frustration that this wonderful day has ended like this and we hope that those who have been injured make a speedy recovery.”
Key events
The independent MP Apsana Begum has hailed Liverpudlians’ “exceptional strength” in times of adversity.
She tweeted that she was thinking of all those affected by what happened, also saying on X:
The people of Liverpool have always demonstrated exceptional strength and unity in times of adversity. We stand with you in solidarity.
In fresh comments reported by Press Association, the prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said “the whole country stands with Liverpool”. He said:
Tonight, I have spoken to [Liverpool mayor] Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services. They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events.
Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times.
Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.”
Former Liverpool manager Sir Kenny Dalglish, who was at the parade, has said he is “shocked, horrified and deeply saddened about what happened at the end of the parade today.”
In a post on X he said:
Our anthem has never felt more appropriate, You’ll never walk alone. Your Liverpool family are behind you.
Everton, Liverpool’s Merseyside rivals, have said “Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this serious incident in our city.”
Paddy Edrich, a reporter with the Liverpool Echo, has shared this image of the aftermath:
A final look at Water Street after an unimaginably horrifying end to what was until then a perfect celebration. We’ll be back at the scene early tomorrow morning to bring you more updates. pic.twitter.com/hs9WhZlVsv
— Paddy Edrich (@PaddyEdrichECHO) May 26, 2025
Andy Hunter
Andy Hunter, our Merseyside football correspondent, has written about how a day of celebration turned into one of horror.
The Strand had been a scene of sheer euphoria 25 minutes earlier.
At 5.41pm the open-top bus parading the Liverpool team had passed by the Royal Liver Building and a huge crowd broke into a powerful rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone to celebrate the new Premier League champions.
Fireworks and ticker-tape exploded overhead. From an apartment on Mann Island, former Liverpool managers Jürgen Klopp and Sir Kenny Dalglish waved to jubilant supporters below.
Just after 6pm, on nearby Water Street, the scene was one of devastation. A car, driven by a 53-year-old white British male from the Liverpool area, collided with a number of pedestrians including four children.
Twenty-seven people were taken to hospital, with two sustaining serious injuries, including one of the children.
Another 20 were treated for minor injuries at the scene and others self-presented at hospitals on Merseyside later in the day.
Ambulances were parked outside Liverpool town hall over three hours later.
Approximately 20 to 30 casualties were being treated in the Riva Italian restaurant across the road.
One man from Birmingham, who asked not to be named, had been treated for back and leg injuries having been knocked over in the incident.
Josh Halliday
Our north of England editor, Josh Halliday, was at the press conference tonight, here is his write-up:
Four children were injured, including one critically, when a car ploughed into fans at a Liverpool football victory parade in an incident not being treated as terror-related, authorities said.
One of the children suffered “major injuries” in the “horrific” collision that caused dozens of casualties just after 6pm on Monday.
At a press conference in the Cunard building in Liverpool on Monday might, North West ambulance service (NWAS) said 27 patients were taken to hospitals around the city – including two who sustained major injuries. One of those is a child.
NWAS said 20 other people were treated for injuries at the scene and that other people were still arriving at hospital seeking treatment.
Jenny Sims, the assistant chief constable of Merseyside police, urged people not to share misinformation about the incident and said it was not being treated as terror-related.
She said: “What I can tell you is that we believe this to be an isolated incident and we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with it. The incident is not being treated as terrorism.”
The press conference has come to an end. Simms said the incident is not being treated as terrorism and that police are not currently looking for anybody else in relation to it.
Kitchen said four of the people injured were children. He said 20 people were treated for minor injuries at the scene and 27 were taken to hospital.
Two of them, including one child, are thought to have sustained serious injuries.
No fatalities have been reported.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has also commented on the incident.
He ended a post on X with the line: “The public deserve to know the full facts as quickly as possible”, which has drawn some ire.
Khayer Chowdhury, a Labour councillor in Redbridge, east London replied: “A disgusting tweet from a nasty party that is now rightfully heading straight into history’s dustbin. Have some self-respect and dignity you opportunistic, rancid idiot.”
My thoughts are with the victims, Liverpool fans and the people of that great City this evening
The appalling footage depicts a car being driven into fans as they celebrated Liverpool’s Premier League win
The public deserve to know the full facts as quickly as possible https://t.co/ie4IpiAH6b
— Chris Philp MP (@CPhilpOfficial) May 26, 2025
Earlier this evening, Merseyside police and crime commissioner, Emily Spurrell, urged people not to speculate about the incident.
23 minutes after Philp’s tweet, Merseyside police released more information about the incident, including confirming that “the man arrested is a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area”.
Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool city council is now speaking. He said: “I’d like to start by saying, on behalf of everyone here in Liverpool, how much our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this appalling incident in the city center.
“Today has cast a very dark shadow of what had been a joyous day for the city and the finale to a fabulous bank holiday weekend. I’d particularly like to pay tribute to the emergency services who responded to help those who were hurt, and to our NHS staff treating them in hospital.
“We are working very closely with Merseyside police to support their investigation and with other relevant organisations to make sure those affected get the appropriate support.
“I would appeal for people please do not share the horrifying footage of the incident on social media. If you have any information, forward it to Merseyside police to help them with their investigation. We won’t be commenting any further, but we will provide relevant updates as and when we know more and it’s appropriate to do so.”
Nick Searle, the chief fire officer is speaking now. He said: “This evening, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were informed at 18:07 hours and we immediately mobilised three fire engines to Water Street and were in attendance in four minutes on arrival.
“The crews were met with numerous injured people and four persons trapped under a vehicle. Our crews rapidly lifted the vehicle removed three adults and one child from beneath and passed them to our ambulance service colleagues.”
Twenty-seven people taken to hospital, two have sustained serious injuries
Kitchen said four of the injured were children. He said 20 people were treated for minor injuries. Twenty-seven were taken to hospital and two of them, including one child, are thought to have sustained serious injuries.
“This is indeed an appalling incident and we understand that people will be deeply upset. The people of Liverpool have shown many times before that you are a strong community and you support one another.
“All of us at North West ambulance service share with you the frustration that this wonderful day has ended like this and we hope that those who have been injured make a speedy recovery.”
Dave Kitchen, from the North West ambulance service is now speaking. He said he was “horrified and saddened that a day of celebration for the people of Liverpool could end in such terrible circumstances”.
Incident not being treated as terrorism
Simms said the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
She said: “We know that people will understandably be concerned by what has happened tonight. What I can tell you is that we believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it.
“The incident is not being treated as terrorism.”
Simms said the 53-year-old white British man is believed to be driver of the car.
She said: “The car stopped at the scene and a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, we believe him to be the driver of the vehicle.
“Extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision, and it is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media.”
The press conference has now begun. Assistant chief constable Jenny Simms is speaking.
“My thoughts are with all those injured in tonight’s horrific incident, their family and friends and all of those affected by the terrible tragedy that has taken place today.
“I want to thank all of the emergency services partner agencies and members of the public who came to the assistance of the injured following this evening’s shocking incidents, which we declared a major incident.
“This had been a joyous day in Liverpool, with hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets to celebrate Liverpool football club’s victory parade. Sadly, at six o’clock this evening, as the parade was drawing to a close, we received reports that a car had been in a collision with a number of pedestrians on Water Street in Liverpool city centre.”
Interim summary
As we await a police press conference expected in the next few minutes, here is a brief summary of where things stand in relation to the awful events that unfolded in Liverpool earlier today. Stay with us for the news developments as they happen.
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The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said he was being kept updated about the collision in Liverpool, where a car appeared to hit a number of people during Liverpool’s Premier League title celebrations tonight. “The scenes in Liverpool are appalling, my thoughts are with all those injured or affected. I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident,” Starmer said in initial comments posted on social media.
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Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson said the “appalling” incident has “cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day”. In a statement, he said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this appalling incident in the city centre.” He said the council was working closely with the police.
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The North West ambulance service said it cleared the scene at about 9.30pm local time and an update on casualty numbers will be given at a press conference scheduled for later today.
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The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, called the incident “shocking and horrendous” as she thanked emergency services for their swift response. In a post on X, she said: “Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response to the truly shocking and horrendous scenes in Liverpool this evening.”
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Witness Harry Rashid, 48, from Solihull, was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters when he witnessed the collision. They were 10ft away. He said: “The vehicle came to our right. It emerged from just right next to an ambulance, which was parked up. This grey people carrier just pulled up from the right and just rammed into all the people at the side of us. It was extremely fast. Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.”
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A man has been detained after a car collided with pedestrians in the city centre during Liverpool FC’s Premier League victory parade. People were injured in the incident and the car was stopped at the scene.
The British health secretary, Wes Streeting, has posted on social media about the “horrible incident” in Liverpool.
“I would like to thank our amazing emergency services for their heroic actions this evening in Liverpool,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
He added: “My heart goes out to everyone impacted in this horrible incident.”
Streeting finished his post by saying, about the National Health Service: “My Department is working with NHS England to keep across any developments for our NHS staff.”
Josh Halliday
Our north of England editor, Josh Halliday, has spoken to another witness.
Les Winsper, 55, witnessed the incident unfold right in front of him.
“People started banging on the [car] windows,” he said. “Then they smashed the windows and he panicked and put his foot down. He then hit someone and that person has gone in the air and he’s ploughed through the rest of them. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Winsper’s friend, Craig Steward, 52, said there was “chaos” with “people crying, children crying, shaking”
Both men said the incident lasted 20 to 30 seconds.
Winsper said the first victim was thrown “about 20 feet” in the air by the collision.
He added: “I personally think he’s hit someone by mistake … and then he’s put his foot down … It was the worst thing I’ve seen in my life, you see it on TV. That’s why all the kids are crying because they witnessed it … I’m traumatised”.
Liverpool council leader: “Very dark shadow cast over what had been a joyous day”
Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson said the “appalling” incident has “cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day”.
In a statement, he said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this appalling incident in the city centre.
“It has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day.
“We are working closely with Merseyside police to support their investigation, and with other relevant organisations to make sure those affected get the appropriate support.”
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