Good afternoon, these are the latest lunchtime ECHO headlines.
Liverpool fans praised for helping people escape Champions League final chaos
Liverpool FC fans have been praised for their helping others during chaotic scenes at the Champions League final in Paris.
Thousands of fans travelled to Paris to watch their club go head-to-head with Real Madrid on Saturday, May 28. Kick off was delayed, with Liverpool fans still outside the Stade de France.
UEFA blamed late fans for the match delay. However, footage and images emerged of the chaos fans faced outside of the stadium and reportedly shows French police using pepper spray and tear gas.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson 'hugely disappointed' by treatment of Liverpool fans in Paris
The ECHO 's Paul Gorst, who covered the final, said: "The truth was, the delay had nothing to do with the 'late arrival of fans', because they had been queuing up for hours before the 9pm kick-off time in Saint-Denis. The issue was the number of closed gates that forced those there to funnel themselves through a small underpass like cattle, leading to huge queues, slow movement and dangerous situations."
Read the full story here.
Train thug punches man, 81, who stepped in to save woman, 71, from abuse
A man punched a pensioner onboard a Merseyrail train.
British Transport Police said that on April 19 at 3pm, a man abused two pensioners on a train between Liverpool Central and James Street stations. The man subjected a 71-year-old woman to a "torrent of abuse." A 81-year-old man intervened but was then abused and punched by the man.
Two members of rail staff removed the man from the service at James Street station. Police have released images of the man they believe may have information which could help their investigation.
Read the full story here.
Michael Owen's daughter Gemma confirmed as Love Island contestant in 2022 line up
Gemma Owen has joined the Love Island 2022 cast.
The 19-year-old will appear on the show's eighth series which starts on Monday, June 6 at 9pm on ITV2. The daughter of Liverpool FC legend, Michael Owen, has found success as a model and with her own bikini brand, OG Beachwear.
Sharing why she wanted to appear on Love Island with ITV, she said: "I am open to finding love, I’m wanting to have a really fun summer. I was seeing someone and then that didn’t work out so I thought, 'Why not?'"
Read the full story here.
