LIVERPOOL, May 28 — A man from Northern Ireland who was struck by a car during Liverpool Football Club’s Premier League victory parade has said he feels “very lucky” to be alive after surviving the terrifying incident that left dozens injured.
Jack Trotter, from Newtownards, County Down, was celebrating the Reds’ triumph alongside his girlfriend, Abbie Gallagher, and friends when a car drove into fans gathered on Water Street in central Liverpool around 18:00 BST on Monday.
The joyous atmosphere turned to chaos as the vehicle ploughed through the crowd near the end of the celebratory route.
“The first thought that I got was: ‘Where’s Abbie? I need to find Abbie,’” Mr Trotter told the BBC. “You know she could be anywhere at this rate and lucky enough she was screaming my name and I found her.”
Trotter, who was taken to hospital and kept overnight, sustained back and leg injuries and is now relying on crutches to walk. Speaking candidly, he described the shock of the moment and the pain that followed.
“I’ve never gone from euphoria to zero that fast,” he said. “I didn’t feel the initial pain because of the adrenaline, but once that wore off, I knew something was wrong.”
Photographs from the scene show emergency responders helping Trotter as an ambulance waited nearby. He was among 65 confirmed casualties, including four children, one of whom is seriously injured, according to Merseyside Police.
Ms Gallagher recalled the horror of seeing the vehicle approach.
“I just was screaming, you don’t know what to think, what to do,” she said. “I put my hands on the bonnet to save myself and I shoved myself off the car. Then I was screaming for Jack and finally heard him say, ‘I’m here.’”
After finding him, she said he collapsed against a wall, crying in pain.
Police confirmed that a 53-year-old white British man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving, and driving while unfit through drugs. He remains in custody as investigations continue.
Videos circulating online show the moment the car hit fans, causing panic among the thousands of supporters who had turned out to celebrate Liverpool FC’s Premier League success. The parade had drawn huge crowds since the morning, with fans singing and waving scarves, unaware of the tragedy that would unfold.
Despite the ordeal, both Trotter and Gallagher expressed immense gratitude for the support they received from bystanders and emergency crews.
“Honestly, you just have to be grateful,” Ms Gallagher said. “Keep your loved ones close — it can all be taken away from you so quickly.”
The couple had travelled to Liverpool with friends, eager to join in the celebrations. Trotter, a devoted fan, said one of his highlights before the crash was seeing defender Virgil van Dijk in the parade.
Now recovering at home, he reflected on the experience with a sense of perspective: “I’m just thankful I’m still here.”
