NEWCASTLE United’s owners narrowly avoided a motorbike collision yesterday evening and were “shaken up” by the “scary incident”.
Amanda Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi were inches from harm when a high speed scrambler bike ploughed recklessly through terrified football fans at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Police have now arrested the two men on the motorbike – one a suspected drug dealer thought to be caught up in a chase – but there was chaos and confusion 90 minutes before kickoff yesterday.
Supporters scarpered at the horrific sight and sound of the oncoming vehicle, fearing for their lives.
Two balaclava-clad men riding it tore through the throng of spectators arriving ahead of the 8pm Liverpool v Newcastle game, causing fans, including children, to scramble out of its path.
The ownership party were also in the sea of red and striped shirts filling the pedestrian area of Stanley Park and witnessed the motorcycle whizz dangerously past them.
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Mehrdad Ghodoussi told Sportsmail: “The bike flew right by us and could have hit us easily. It was a scary incident.
“Amanda was pretty shaken up but calmed down once we got inside the stadium.
“Thankfully, it appears serious injuries were avoided. But it could have been far worse, the bike drove straight into the crowd.”
But not everyone was as lucky as Newcastle’s owners, as the zooming bike hit and injured several people in the crowd.
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One fan was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, while another supporter, thought to be a middle-aged man, was left in a “bad way” and struggling to breathe, according to a witness.
Witnesses told how the engine’s loud noise alerted fans to the nearing danger but the crowd was so tightly-packed they couldn’t see it coming. One fan said it was incredible no one was killed.
Luckily, heroic police managed to knock the thugs from the motorbike before anyone suffered anything worse – or fatal.
The two men were both arrested at the scene by officers for a handful of offences.
Merseyside Police confirmed that no members of the public were seriously injured but one of the riders was treated for facial and shoulder injuries after being thrown off the bike.
A 30-year-old man who was riding the bike was arrested on suspicion of drug driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and suspected theft of a motor vehicle.
The 23-year-old passenger, also male, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, suspected theft of a motor vehicle and other driving offences.
The club’s owners weren’t the only famous faces to feel the fear of Wednesday night’s crowd.
It could have been so much worse.
Danny Mills
Former England defender Danny Mills also escaped being hit in the thick throng of people.
He said: “I had picked up my media accreditation and was walking back towards the stadium on the corner of Stanley Park when, all of a sudden, I heard this ridiculous motorbike sound.
“It had squeezed through a gap and into a pedestrian area that was packed with supporters.
“A couple of people were hit on the way through before the police managed to knock them off the bike. But it could have been so much worse.
“It was an area full of supporters, including children. They were going at some speed and you really feared for people’s safety.”
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: ‘We have arrested two males following an incident outside Anfield stadium on Wednesday August 31, in which a scrambler bike was reported to have been in contact with pedestrians.
“The scrambler bike, which was being ridden by two males wearing balaclavas, is believed to have been involved in a chase with an electric bike through 97 Avenue and Dahlia Walk, close to Liverpool’s ground, at around 6.30pm.
“The scrambler is believed to have made contact with a number of pedestrians before being brought to a stop by an officer outside the ground.
“The stop caused the rider and passenger to fall off and they were both arrested.
“There are no reports of any members of the public being seriously injured. One of the riders of the bike suffered facial and shoulder injuries and has received medical treatment.
“The rider of the bike, a 30-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of S5 RTA (drug driving), causing serious injury by dangerous driving and suspected theft of a motor vehicle.
“The passenger, a 23-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, suspected theft of a motor vehicle and other driving offences.
“The bike has been recovered and enquiries into the incident are ongoing. The incident has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
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The Premier League game ended in a 2-1 victory to Liverpool at their home ground, after securing the most crucial of victories in the 98th minute.
The Reds had to come from behind after Alexander Isak netted on his Toon debut just hours after being granted a work permit to play the match.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
