Four children among 27 in hospital after van crashes into UK crowd

Four children are among those injured aft a minivan smashed into a crowd of Liverpool shot fans who had been celebrating nan metropolis team's Premier League title early this morning.

Merseyside Police astatine a property convention said a 53-year-old achromatic British man had been arrested and an investigation was underway.

It is believed to beryllium an isolated incident, pinch nary different suspects sought. It is not being treated arsenic a violent attack, constabulary said.

Ambulance services said 27 people, including 4 children, were taken to hospital.

Two of those patients, including 1 of nan children, were believed to beryllium earnestly injured.

A further 20 group were treated astatine nan segment and did not require hospitalisation, while ambulance services said immoderate others later self-presented to hospitals.

Firefighters connected nan segment said 4 people, including 1 child, had been trapped nether nan minivan.

A video connected societal media appeared to show a grey minivan onslaught astatine slightest 1 pedestrian and past veer into a larger crowd of people, carving a way done nan group and pushing bodies on nan thoroughfare for illustration a plough earlier coming to a stop.

Merseyside constabulary said they were contacted conscionable aft 6pm section clip (3am Tuesday AEST) "following reports a car had been successful collision pinch a number of pedestrians" successful nan metropolis centre.

"The car stopped astatine nan segment and a antheral has been detained," nan constabulary added.

A spokesperson from Merseyside constabulary told CNN "the man arrested is simply a 53-year-old achromatic British man from nan Liverpool area".

Harry Rashid, who was astatine nan parade pinch his woman and 2 young daughters, said nan car began ramming group astir 10 feet (3 metres) distant from him.

"It was highly fast," Rashid said. "Initially, we conscionable heard nan pop, pop, popular of group conscionable being knocked disconnected nan bonnet of a car."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was being updated connected nan business and thanked constabulary for their speedy response.

"The scenes successful Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are pinch each those injured aliases affected," Starmer said.

The incident followed a ample ceremony successful nan metropolis centre, wherever tens of thousands of dancing, scarf-and-flag-waving fans braved bedewed upwind to statement nan streets and watch Liverpool's players show the Premier League trophy atop 2 buses base nan words "Ours Again."

Liverpool Football Club said it is successful interaction pinch Merseyside Police regarding nan incident.

"Our thoughts and prayers are pinch those who person been affected by this superior incident. We will proceed to connection our afloat support to nan emergency services and section authorities who are dealing pinch this incident," it said connected X.

Footage shared by Reuters news agency showed emergency services tending to people, immoderate being carried into ambulances connected stretchers.

Rashid said aft nan car struck nan first victims, it came to a halt and nan crowd charged nan conveyance and began smashing windows.

"But past he put his ft down again and conscionable ploughed done nan remainder of them, he conscionable kept going," Rashid said. "It was horrible. And you could perceive nan bumps arsenic he was going complete nan people."

Rashid said it looked deliberate and he was successful daze and disbelief.

"My girl started screaming and location were group connected nan ground," he said. "They were conscionable guiltless people, conscionable fans going to bask nan parade."

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said it is supporting an incident successful Liverpool metropolis centre pursuing reports of a roadworthy postulation collision.

"We are presently assessing nan business and moving pinch different members of nan emergency services. Our privilege is to guarantee group person nan aesculapian thief they request arsenic quickly arsenic possible," it said successful a property release.