Neighbour feels like he 'dodged two bullets' after 'scary' Remembrance Day blast
15 November 2021, 19:15 | Updated: 15 November 2021, 20:31
A new father who welcomed his son at Liverpool Women's Hospital this week and lives in Rutland Avenue said he feels like he has "dodged two bullets" following the "scary" terror explosion.
Speaking to LBC outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, the man - who asked to remain anonymous - said he was visiting the site to pick up pain relief as he was unable to get into his home in Rutland Avenue on Sunday night.
The street has been cordoned off by police investigating the explosion of a taxi - which detectives are treating as a terror attack.
The father, whose wife gave birth to their son just five days ago at the hospital, said he feels "quite lucky" to have "dodged two bullets".
"We still could have been here when it happened, but also as I live on the same street as him, I feel like I dodged two bullets," he told LBC.
"I am quite relieved in that sense, but really sympathetic towards the mothers inside the hospital now. They must be worried sick.
"It feels great to have a son, but it's been very scary overall. Very strange and surreal."
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The man's wife was discharged from the hospital in Crown Street just a few days ago.
The family had left their house on Sunday afternoon, shortly after Rutland Avenue had been cordoned off by counter-terror police, and when they returned in the evening they weren't allowed back in.
The address in Rutland Avenue is one of a number being searched by police across the city.
On Monday evening a controlled explosion was carried out in Sefton Park by counter-terror officers, in connection with the blast.
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Four men - all aged in their 20s - have been arrested under the Terrorism Act and are being questioned by police.
The UK terror threat has since been raised to 'severe' following the explosion - meaning another terror attack is highly likely.
The change was announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel, due to it being the second terror attack within the space of a month.
Taxi explodes outside Liverpool Women's Hospital
Speaking to broadcasters, she said: "The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, Jtac, are now increasing the United Kingdom's threat level from substantial to severe.
"And there's a reason for that, and that reason is because what we saw yesterday is the second incident in a month."
Ms Patel added that the "context" of there being two terrorist incidents in the space of a month was "really important".
The previous attack saw MP David Amess stabbed to death during a constituency meeting in Leigh-on-Sea.
