A PENWORTHAM couple thanked their lucky stars when they failed to find a car park space at Aintree racecourse on Saturday.

Sherry Ross and boyfriend Kevin McKendrick parked in a nearby side street when they went to watch the doomed Grand National.

And while thousands of trapped motorists had their cars impounded overnight following the IRA bomb scare chaos, the couple were able to make a quick getaway through the deserted streets of Liverpool.

They couldn't believe their luck two weeks ago when they won tickets to see the classic race in a Citizen competition.

But their delight turned to fear when the 70,000 strong crowd had to be evacuated after a coded terror warning.

Sherry said: "It was distressing. All I could think about was contacting my ten-year-old son at home to tell him I was OK.

"There was no mad panic or rush, just thousands of slow-moving people shuffling along like sheep."

Announcements from helicopters flying above directed the confused crowd to the centre of the race track. Many were drunk after sipping champagne.

Sherry was mesmerised: "It was a strange sight - people in summer clothes freezing in the cold wind, some carrying glasses of wine. Luckily I had wrapped up well that morning.

"My luck didn't last, though. The horse I bet on in the last race before the bomb scare fell at the first fence!"

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.