Van blast driver 'trying to kill'

Mr Langrell had been missing from home since March

A driver whose van was blown apart by an explosion was trying to kill the police officers approaching him.

Terry Langrell's white Transit van burst into flames after being stopped by police in Toxteth, Liverpool.

The 42-year-old died of burns injuries and five police officers were injured on 1 August. One remains in hospital.

Police said they were now treating the explosion as attempted murder and were trying to trace a woman who was with Mr Langrell when he bought the van.

The driving instructor, from Leasowe in Wirral, had been missing from home and had not seen his family since 12 March.

Officers want to talk to anyone who may have seen Mr Langrell in the time he was missing, or knows where he was living or who he was associating with.

Based on our investigation we are satisfied he has attempted to kill police officers Det Ch Insp Dave Kelly

Mr Langrell bought the white Ford Transit van, registration number R509 KWR, in Bootle on 9 March.

The woman with him is described as about 5ft tall, of medium build, aged between 35 and 40 years with short dark hair. She was driving a blue or grey Peugeot 206.

Detectives believe Mr Langrell was travelling around the north of England and Scotland in the weeks before his death and also want to hear from anyone who saw him there.

He visited Edinburgh on 16 April, Shetland on 25 April, Northumbria on 5 June and Cumbria on 8 June.

Det Ch Insp Dave Kelly, said: "Based on our investigation we are satisfied he has attempted to kill police officers.

"We are keen to establish his exact whereabouts between 12 March and 1 August and are very keen to speak to anyone who may have been in contact with him or seen him in the north of England or Scotland.

The officers were approaching the van when it exploded

"I am particularly keen to talk to the woman who was with him when he bought the van. She may have important information about where Mr Langrell since March.

"To complete our investigation we need to know as much as possible about the circumstances that led up to his death."

A patrol car began a "slow pursuit" of Mr Langrell's van after an officer spotted him "acting suspiciously" in Marmaduke Street, Edge Hill, just before 2200 BST on 1 August.

When the van failed to respond to signals to pull over, the patrol Pc began a pursuit, joined by other officers until the van stopped on Park Road, Toxteth.

Officers got out of their vehicles and began to approach but an explosion ripped through the back of the van.

One officer remains in hospital with serious burns.