Liverpool explosion: Wife of taxi terror survivor hails 'utter miracle' he's still alive
15 November 2021, 16:11 | Updated: 15 November 2021, 17:00
Taxi explodes outside Liverpool Women's Hospital
The wife of the driver who managed to escape his taxi during the Liverpool terror attack has hailed the “utter miracle” that he is still alive.
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In a Facebook post, Rachel Perry said: “He certainly has some guardian angels looking over him.”
The man, named locally as David Perry, fled the vehicle after it exploded, and before it burst into flames, outside Liverpool Women's Hospital just before 11am on Remembrance Sunday.
The passenger, who was picked up in the Rutland Avenue area of the city, about a 10 minutes' drive from the hospital, detonated a home-made bomb as the car pulled in to the hospital drop-off area.
The male passenger of the car was declared dead at the scene, while Mr Perry received hospital treatment for his injuries and has since been discharged.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the attack as it was declared a terrorist incident.
In her Facebook post, Ms Perry said: “I would just like to thank each and every one of you who have messaged asking how David is. He is doing OK but is extremely sore and just trying to process what happened.”
She appeared to dispel suggestions – which police had said they could not confirm – that Mr Perry had locked the car doors to prevent the passenger escaping.
'Our freedoms and our way of life will always prevail.'
“There are lots of rumours flying around about him being a hero and locking the passenger inside the car, we also saw one that said he was 56.”
Using the crying with laugher emoji, she said of the reports about his age: “He’s not impressed with that.”
She went on: “The truth of the matter is, he is without doubt lucky to be alive.
“The explosion happened while he was in the car and how he managed to escape is an utter miracle. He certainly has some guardian angels looking over him.”
Ms Perry hailed the emergency services for their response: “We’re so thankful.”
She also criticised “reporters knocking at my door at 10pm last night – have some respect!
“The most incomprehensible thing has happened to us and we just want to be able to deal with the situation as best we can.
“Let’s pray this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
The attack saw the UK terror threat raised to “severe” this afternoon.
Read more: 12 children hospitalised after ceiling collapses in south London school
The change means an attack is "highly likely" across the country moving forward.
At a Downing Street press conference this afternoon, Boris Johnson said the incident was “sickening".
The prime minister said: "What yesterday showed above all is that the British people will never be cowed by terrorism, we will never give in to those who seek to divide us with senseless acts of violence.
"And our freedoms and our way of life will always prevail."
