A taxi driver has been praised for his "heroic efforts" after his actions averted an attempted terrorist attack on Sunday.
Just prior to Britain falling silent for two minutes as part of Remembrance Sunday, taxi driver David Perry pulled up to the drop-off areas of the Liverpool Women's Hospital in Liverpool, England, BBC News reports.
However, after reportedly spotting that his passenger was carrying an improvised explosive device, Sky News reports that a friend of Perry's says the driver "locked the man in the vehicle". Police are reportedly trying to verify these claims.
The passenger then reportedly detonated the device, causing an explosion. Moments before the car was engulfed in flames, Perry was able to escape.
More on this story below:The passenger, who has not been named, died at the scene.
Following news of the incident, Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson told BBC Radio 4's Today show: "Our thanks go to [Perry] and our emergency services, and authorities have worked through the night to divert anything further and we've all been on standby and in constant contact to provide any support that's needed."
Anderson added: "Well, we knew that the taxi driver had stood out and locked the doors, we knew that early on."
"The taxi driver in his heroic efforts has managed to divert what could have been an absolutely awful disaster," Anderson added.
Per Sky News, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today that "police have now confirmed that this is being treated as a terrorist attack".
Johnson added: "What yesterday showed above all is that the British people will never be cowed by terrorism, we will never give in to those who seek to divide us with senseless acts of violence, and our freedoms and our way of life will always prevail."
Following the incident, Perry's wife, Rachel, reportedly wrote on Facebook that her husband is "doing ok but is extremely sore" and is "trying to process what's happened".
She added that although there are "a lot of rumors flying round", he is "without doubt, lucky to be alive".
Meanwhile, per BBC News, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West Russ Jackson has revealed that he has spoken to Perry, but was unable to confirm the reports that the driver had locked the doors of the taxi before the explosion.
Officials have also confirmed that four men - aged 29, 26, 21 and 20 - have been arrested under the Terrorism Act in connection with the incident. MI5 is also assisting regional counter-terrorism police with the investigation.
In response to the explosion, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has confirmed that the Joint Terror Analysis Centre (JTAC) is increasing the UK threat level from "substantial to severe".