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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Abigail Nicholson

Liverpool fans use speed boat to cross the channel for Champions League final

A group of Liverpool fans have used a speed boat to cross the channel ahead of the Champions League Final in Paris.

Paddy OToole, who is from Scotland Road but moved to Jersey, and 12 other fans, hired a boat and made their way over the English Channel to Saint Malo on Friday, May 27. The men decided to head to Paris after Paddy's son, Patrick, found out his friends EasyJet flight to Paris was cancelled.

Paddy told The ECHO: "My lad Patrick’s mates Adam and Tom Dring who are from Huyton, had their EasyJet flight cancelled, so their Dad rushed them down to Heathrow to try a get a flight but there was nothing. They got a flight to Jersey last minute and they met up with us and asked could we get them to France.

READ MORE: Liverpool fans turn Paris red as thousands arrive for Champions League Final

"We felt sorry for the young lads so we had to do something."

Once the lads landed in Jersey, Paddy got to work trying to find a way to get the boys over the channel to get to Liverpool's match against Real Madrid. Paddy called his friend, Gary Brennans Rib, from Kensington, who owns Le Mourier, a expert swimming tuition company with a fleet of motor vessels.

The group 12 set off from Jersey in a 12-person Redbay Stormforce 950, heading straight for Saint-Marlo in France. Among the people onboard was 72-year-old Dave Walsh, Jamie O’Neill, Jay and Billy Giles and Joey OToole.

A video captured by Paddy shows the men on the speed boat skimming over waves while listening to music from a speaker. As the boat came into Saint Malo the boat was blasting out we didn't start the fire by Billy Joel.

A group of Liverpool fans crossed the channel in a speedboat to get to the Champions League Final (@morefootie)

Paddy said: "We saw a few dolphins on the way and got the train to Rennes and then to Paris. A few more of are mates from Liverpool who live in Jersey heard we were going and joined on. We haven't got a ticket between us."

The group are now in Paris and excited for the 'big day' ahead.

Between 50,000 and 60,000 Liverpool supporters are expected to arrive in the French capital by coach, train, car, plane and boat ahead of Liverpool's Champions League Final match against Real Madrid. Thousands arrived in Paris on Friday (May 27) and started to take over the city's bistros, pubs and even the Eiffel Tower.

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