‘I was in town during yesterday’s bomb scare’: Fearless witness relives experience

A huge bomb threat in the city centre led to Liverpool being on lockdown yesterday morning

Emergency services were called to Tithebarn Street near Moorfields station after a man claimed to have ‘a suspicious package’. The 74 year-old male was later arrested and detained by police.

The Tab caught up with City College student Vanessa Wheeler who witnessed the chaos unfold from her flat on Marlborough Street, one of the roads blocked off by emergency services.

When did you first realise something was wrong?

Vanessa: After waking up late, I looked through my flat window and was alarmed to see several ambulances, firetrucks, police cars and strange blue vans. I also noticed that the street below my building (Vauxhall Road) had been cordoned off with tape. I instantly knew this was lockdown, and this was not a test.

How did you react to seeing this?

Vanessa: I quickly went on Twitter to check updates from the Liverpool Echo News, and my worst fear had been confirmed: there was a bomb threat. I got anxious as I pictured these few moments as being my last, but I fought the fear and decided to go outside and investigate anyway.

Vanessa watched the chaos unfold from her window

What did you see?

Vanessa: I used a cigarette break as an excuse to get close to the emergency response personnel, some of whom gave me strange looks for willingly being out on the empty streets when everyone else was safely protected in their homes.

I sneakily took some photos and I tried (failing)at eavesdropping. After I was finished documenting my imminent demise via Snapchat, I made my way back into my building where I was safe once more to drink tea and watch House M.D.

What did you think when you found out what was actually going on?

Vanessa: When I discovered later that day that it was just a white guy pulling a hissy fit over insurance, the adrenaline rush was abruptly cut short. I was frankly disappointed and I quickly lost interest.

How do you feel about this experience overall?

Vanessa: All in all, my experience living through lockdown was exciting and I was even texting my mum about it. But next time procedures should be followed to really give it that life-or-death hysteria that I crave.