A dad was attacked with "hammers" and mugged as his 13-year-old son watched on after the UEFA Champions League Final in Paris.
Danny Smith, 47, from Everton, managed to get two tickets for Liverpool's Champions League Final against Real Madrid, and decided to take his 13-year-old son to the match with him. After enjoying a day at the fan park with his son and some friends, the pair were caught up in terrifying scenes outside the Stade de France when they were crushed and teargassed.
Danny, who attended and witnessed the horrors of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, said how Paris was the closest thing he had experienced to the tragedy and was forced to lift his son up above his head to prevent him being crushed.
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But it was after the match when the nightmare really began. Danny's friend, Kevin Morland, 47, from Allerton said: "When he came out they [Danny, his son and some friends] were walking down towards a tunnel. There were crowds of local youths lurking around, they started following them and getting closer and closer and then they just attacked them.
"Danny said he felt excruciating pain and he couldn't stand on his leg before he collapsed. They were kicking him and they started going through his top pockets and took his money, phone, watch and they ripped a chain from him that his son and daughter bought for him as a present.
"They took everything and his son just had to watch."
Kevin explained how the youths did not attack Danny's 13-year-old son and a number of Liverpool fans managed to help him get to a nearby hotel. From there the dad and son made their way home and flew from Nantes to Manchester.
After arriving at Manchester Airport, a number of Liverpool fans arranged to get a taxi with him and dropped Danny off at Royal Liverpool Hospital where he found out his knee was shattered.
Kevin said: "People from Liverpool stick together, everybody was helping each other and fans helped him get a taxi. When he got to The Royal they told him his leg was really bad.
"They said from a scale of one to six, his leg was a six. At one point one of the doctors was talking about amputation because it was that bad.
"They said he was hit with hammers or something of the sort, something metal with a square head. He's had this rod put into his leg to stop anymore damage being caused and has been in hospital ever since."
Danny has since been transferred between Aintree and Broadgreen Hospital where he is waiting for a six to eight-hour surgery on his leg. Doctors hope to fit a cage, which means he will be able to start his recovery.
Kevin said his friend was in "good spirits" and was "happy he was alive".
He added: "He said to me he was happy to be alive and that his son was not injured. He's said the nurses and doctors in hospital have been amazing.
"They have said he might never be able to walk properly again and will be off work for at least nine months."
Danny's friends have set up a GoFundMe page for him to help survive while he's unable to work. So far £16k has been raised for the dad.
To donate to the GoFundMe page, click here.
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