Pensioner was shot 'by mistake'

Mr Byrne was shot at close range by a lone gunman

The family of a pensioner shot dead in a Liverpool pub believe he was the victim of mistaken identity.

Father-of-three Edward Byrne, 66, was shot at close range by a lone gunman in the Yew Tree pub, Finch Lane, Knotty Ash, on Friday.

Police have not yet established a motive for the gun attack, which was the third fatal shooting in the city in a month.

But they have said they do not believe he was shot at random.

Eddy was just a really good family man - he lived for his wife and children and was a well respected member of the community

Edward Byrne's daughter Jackie

Detectives want to speak to all the drinkers - thought to be about 40 in number - who were in the pub at about 2325 GMT on Friday.

Officers are also appealing for the driver of a black Ford Focus, seen outside the Yew Tree, to come forward.

Mr Byrne, who was not known to the police, was taken to Whiston Hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Mr Byrne's daughter Jackie told the BBC: "Eddy was just a really good family man - he lived for his wife and children and was a well respected member of the community.

"He has lived in the area all his life - we just can't think of any reason, we think it's a case of mistaken identity."

'Pointless death'

She added: "I would say if it is a case of mistaken identity there must be someone in the Yew Tree pub that that bullet was meant for.

"[They should] think about it - someone has died pointlessly and [they should] come forward with any information they've got."

The killer is described as around 30-years-old, between 5 ft 6 in and 5 ft 10 in tall and of muscular build.

He wore dark blue tracksuit bottoms, a lighter coloured top, white baseball cap and a checked, thick scarf around the lower part of his face.

The killing of Mr Byrne is not being linked to the other recent shooting murders in the city.