Local residents evacuated during police investigation into car explosion in Liverpool

Police have confirmed a number of addresses in the Sefton Park area have been evacuated as part of ongoing investigations into a car explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Sunday.

Specialist officers remain outside a house on Rutland Avenue and the area is cordoned off.

Officers from Counter Terrorism North West are leading the investigation supported by Merseyside Police.

Three men - aged 29, 26 and 21 have already been detained under the Terrorism Act in the Kensington area of the city.

Merseyside Police said the car involved was a taxi which pulled up at the hospital shortly before the explosion occurred at 10.59 in the morning on Remembrance Sunday.

A male passenger was declared dead at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.

The taxi driver - also a man - was injured in the explosion and remains in hospital in a stable condition.

In an earlier statement, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said there would be an increased police presence on the streets of Merseyside and police would be liaising with the local community to make sure any concerns are addressed.

She said: “I would continue to advise people to be vigilant and if they have any concerns to contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.”