500 Casualties In Welcome To Cup

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30741, 4 May 1965, Page 19

500 Casualties In Welcome To Cup

(N.Z.P A.- Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, May 3. Liverpool’s welcome home to the Cup Final winners came close to disaster yesterday when a quarter of a million enthusiastic supporters broke through crush barriers causing 500 casualties.

The Town Hall was turned into an emergency casualty centre and mounted police were rushed in to deal with crowds fighting to get a glimpse of their heroes.

About 45 people ere taken to hospital. Their injuries included cuts and broken limbs, some caused by falls from buildings.

The Liverpool City soccer team beat Leeds United at Wembley yesterday by two goals to one before a crowd of 100,000 to win the English Football Association Cup. The victorious team drove from Lime Street Station to a reception in the Town Hal) in an open coach. As the team drove by

crowds of some 250,000 the barriers were broken in six places. Supporters closed in behind the coach as it drove to the Town Hall. There staff joined police in a struggle to shut the gates. The Town Hall portico was turned into a casualty clearing station. Pregnant Women A policeman was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg and an 18-year-old youth was taken away after a police horse trod on his foot. There were also two pregnant women among the casu-

alties which included many fainting cases. One man had been hit with a broken bottle. An ambulance was attacked by members of the crowd who climbed on to it, kicked in the sides, and tore off the wing mirrors. “It could have been disastrous.” said an ambulance spokesmen. “Only the police and common sense prevented many more casualties.” Fairly Quietly The police were pleased that things had gone fairly quietly apart from enthusiasm and excitement. “It was a good-humoured crowd,” said Liverpool’s Acting Chief Constable, Mr Herbert Balmer. “The trouble was that they were so excited that some of the younger ones lost control of themselves.” Ambulancemen were still dealing with casualties and police reinforcements were ready when the team left the reception by a secret route. Police remained on duty around the building and traffic, held up since the players’ arrival, started to move again. An estimated 50.000 welcomed the Leeds United team back to its home city.