Five people have been arrested in connection to the shooting of a taxi driver on a Liverpool forecourt on Saturday 19 October.

Emergency services were called at about 1.15am to the BP garage on Whitefield Drive, Kirkby, and found a 61-year old taxi driver inside his car, a silver Skoda Octavia, with injuries to his arm and chest.

He was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery for his injuries, which are not life threatening, and he remains in hospital in a stable condition.

No one else has been reported as being injured at this time.

Two men aged, 18 and 20, were arrested in connection with the incident on Sunday night on suspicion of attempted murder and possession of a firearm and subsequently bailed, and three men, aged 18, 19,and 20, were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attempted murder and are in police custody.

Detective Inspector Tom Keaton, said: “Just after 1am a request for a taxi to attend The Farmers Arms public house on Moorfield was put through to a local taxi firm.

“A taxi attended at the pub and a group of five young lads approached the driver, four of them got into the car which then drove off. A short time later the taxi stopped at a garage on Whitefield Drive. It is at this time that the four passengers got involved in an argument with a group of six males on the forecourt just prior to the vehicle being shot at and the driver injured.

“The passengers and the males on the forecourt were not at the scene when the emergency services arrived. The passengers are described as being young men in the late teens early twenties and we believe they were the target of the attack.

“An innocent man has sustained significant injuries as a result of this incident and I would urge these males to come forward and tell us what they know so we can take positive action and take the offenders off the streets before anyone else gets hurt.

“I would also ask for anyone who had been in or by The Farmers Arms on Friday night and saw a group of four or five males dressed in dark coloured clothing to come forward. They may well have information that can help us identify these males and ultimately assist us in bringing those responsible for the shooting to justice.

“I would appeal to members of the community who know the people involved to come forward.

The offenders are all described as being white, five of them wore dark coloured clothing and the sixth was wearing a cream coloured Adidas-type top.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police on 0151 777 5687, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.