Liverpool bomb taxi driver’s wife says he’s ‘extremely sore’ after ‘miracle’ escape

‘The truth of the matter is he is lucky to be alive’

The wife of the taxi driver who was caught up in the terrorist bombing outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital yesterday has called her husband’s escape from serious injury an “utter miracle”.

Rachel Perry said her husband David is “lucky to be alive” after the taxi he was driving, carrying one passenger, exploded as it pulled up outside the hospital.

Mr Perry has since been discharged from hospital after being treated for his injuries. In the same social media post, Ms Perry thanked all of the staff, doctors and nurses who cared for her husband, whom she described as still being “extremely sore.”

She also appeared to confirm that reports of Mr Perry “locking the passenger inside the car” were untrue.

“I would just like to thank each and everyone 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 wrote.

“There are a lot of rumours flying round about him being a hero and locking the passenger inside the car.

“The truth of the matter is, he is without doubt, lucky to be alive. The explosion happened whilst he was in the car and how he managed to escape is an utter miracle. He certainly had some guardian angels looking over him.

“I would like to thank the amazing staff, doctors and nurses at the hospital, you were all amazing and also the police officers and detectives who have been looking after us. We’re so thankful.”

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It comes after Boris Johnson hailed Mr Perry’s “incredible bravery”.

“It does look as though the taxi driver in question did behave with incredible presence of mind and bravery,” the prime minister said.

Three men – aged 29, 26 and 21 – have been arrested under the Terrorism Act. They were detained in the nearby Kensington area of the city, while residents were evacuated as armed police were seen in Rutland Avenue, in the Sefton Park area, until the early hours of the morning.

A fourth suspect was arrested in connection with the bombing on Monday morning.

The blast has was declared a terrorist incident on Monday but police say the motive remains unclear.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, from Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said the man who died in the blast brought a homemade bomb with him into a taxi and asked to be taken to Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

He was picked up in the Rutland Avenue area of the city and taken to the hospital shortly before 11am on Sunday.