A man who ran to help after witnessing the Liverpool Women's terrorist attack said he "thinks about it daily".
Liam Spencer was with his girlfriend Stephanie Stitt when he was unwittingly caught up in the terror attack at Liverpool Women's Hospital. Emad Al Swealmeen detonated a bomb outside the hospital after pulling up as a passenger in a Delta taxi on Remembrance Sunday last year.
Al Swealmeen died when his homemade explosive containing 1,000 ball bearings went off in the back of the car, shattering the windscreen. The taxi driver, David Perry, made a miraculous escape from the vehicle just as the bomb detonated on November 14, 2021. The incident saw the UK's terror threat raised to "severe" - while the hospital found itself in the global spotlight for the next 10 days.
READ MORE: Spotlight: The bomb blast that shook Liverpool and the terror probe that followed
Following the blast, Liam, who had been visiting former colleagues at the hospital, ran towards the taxi to offer whatever help he could. And speaking to the ECHO a year on, the 22-year-old said he "will never forget" what happened that day.
When Liam spoke to the ECHO last year, he recalled seeing the driver, Mr Perry, in an "awful state" before checking the car and seeing Al Swealmeen "on fire". Liam said he was unable to comment on whether the terrorist was still alive at that point.
A year on from the terrorist attack, Liam said: "One year ago my life changed. The day put a lot in perspective for me. Hearing that loud bang outside the hospital still sits with me to this day. Running out, seeing my terrified girlfriend and the aftermath of the bomb is something I think about daily.
"The injuries I saw David Perry suffer is something that I'm thankful Steph never suffered but I'm heartbroken anyone had to go through. Then seeing the man who aimed to take the lives of innocent women and children in the hospital burn in front of me is something I will never forget. This day will always sit in my mind and in my heart for many reasons."
Liam admitted the last year has been difficult but the couple have tried to get on with their lives and use the experiences to drive them on. He said he has a new career in the motor trade and has continued his passion for music on the side. And Stephanie has finished university and is now a registered mental health nurse.
Kathryn Thomson, CEO of the Liverpool Women's Hospital, said "there was significant anger in the city when we were targeted". But she added: "If there's a positive to take from such an event, it is that the incident has connected the hospital even more to the community it serves."
Liam called the anniversary of the bomb attack a "day of strength" for the city - and thanked everyone for the support they have shown him and Stephanie this year. He told the ECHO : "It isn't a day of sadness. It is a day of strength, the strength of me, Steph, David, the staff at the Women's Hospital and the strength of our city.
"I want to thank my family and friends who helped me and Steph get back to normal after everything happened. I also want to thank the people who don't know us personally and still supported us. I'd like to send love to David and his family - I hope he's had a great recovery and is back up and running."
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