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Crime

15th Nov 2021

Liverpool bomb: Taxi driver ‘locked bomber inside car’ after spotting explosives, reports say

Kieran Galpin

The taxi driver is being hailed as a hero

A taxi driver, who is now being hailed as a hero, reportedly locked a suspicious passenger in his car after spotting an explosive while they were outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

A taxi carrying a passenger pulled up to the hospital around 11:00 GMT yesterday (Remembrance Sunday), as a national two minutes’ silence was due to begin. The taxi then exploded.

The unknown passenger was declared dead at the scene. Counter-Terrorism police have confirmed three men have been arrested.

It has since been reported that taxi driver David Perry allegedly leapt from his taxi after ‘noticing the passenger wearing a device’.

Though the explosion occurred at the hospital, the male passenger reportedly asked to be dropped off at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral less than a mile away, where 1,200 military personnel, veterans and families of fallen soldiers had gathered for Remembrance Sunday.

A friend of Perry’s told the Mail Online that the taxi was not able to get to the service as the ‘roads were blocked off’.

The source continued: “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 said: “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.”

While one person confirmed dead at the scene, Perry was taken into hospital to be treated for severe yet not ‘life-threatening’ injuries.

A fundraiser has been launched for Perry and his family and has already raised over £10k, with many dubbing him a hero on social media.

“David’s actions almost certainly saved many lives. He is an absolute hero,” wrote Piers Morgan.

Another wrote: “If this is true then it makes me so proud to know that people like this are amongst us. He has saved the lives of god knows how many others by being completely selfless and unimaginably brave. David Perry, a hero.”

The Mail Online reported on November 15 that Perry had been released from the hospital.

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