The tragic incident at the Liverpool FC title parade where a car was driven at speed through crowds of people is not currently being treated as ‘terrorism’, police have confirmed.
Hundreds of thousands of fans all lined the streets of Liverpool yesterday as the Merseyside team took to open-top buses and paraded their newly-claimed Premier League title trophy through the city centre, soaking up all the well-deserved praise and admiration by those who had been with them every step of title race throughout the season.
But as, as the players and fans enjoyed their moment of celebrations, reports came in and shocking videos began to surface on social media of a car driving through the crowds at speed, and knocking down several pedestrians in the process.
We are currently dealing with reports of an RTC in Liverpool city centre. We were contacted at just after 6pm today, Mon 26 May, following reports a car had been in collision with a number of pedestrians on Water Street. The car stopped at the scene and a male detained. pic.twitter.com/1qomVIDuqB
It has now been confirmed by Merseyside Police that emergency services were contacted just after 6pm yesterday (Monday 26 May) following reports that a car had been in collision with a number of pedestrians on Water Street, and a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was detained at the scene and subsequently arrested.
In the immediate aftermath of the shocking incident, police urged the public not to ‘speculate on the circumstances’ surrounding it, as extensive enquiries and investigations are currently ongoing to establish this.
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Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims later issued a formal statement addressing the ongoing situation as it unfolded.
Police are not treating the incident at the Liverpool FC parade where a car ploughed into crowds as ‘terrorism’ / Credit: Liverpool FC (via Facebook)
Her statement reads in full: “Firstly, my thoughts are with all those injured in the horrific incident, their families and friends, and all those affected by the terrible tragedy that has taken place. I want to thank all the emergency services, partner agencies, and members of the public who came to the assistance of the injured following the shocking events.
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“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, but sadly at just after 6pm this evening, as the parade was drawing to a close, we received reports that a car had been in collision with a number of pedestrians on Water Street in Liverpool city centre.
“A number of people have been injured and were taken to hospital. In addition, a large number of people of all ages were treated at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.
Watch our press conference following tonight’s incident on Water Street in Liverpool city centre ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/1sZW5oMcmy
“Specialist officers have been put in place to support the injured and their families.
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“Our emergency services colleagues from the North West Ambulance Service and Mersey Fire and Rescue Service also attended the scene and will be able to provide further updates.
“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 enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision.
“It is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media.
“I know that people will understandably be concerned by what has happened tonight but 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 currently being treated as terrorism.”
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Emily Sergeant -
27th May 2025 
