A Liverpool FC fan caught in the crush outside the Champions League final said the screams of women and children were "haunting".
Ben Ward, a season ticket holder at Anfield, had a corporate ticket to attend the Champions League final at Stade de France after winning a competition through Just Eat. Ben, who has followed Liverpool home and away across Europe, told the ECHO the weekend was supposed to be an "experience of a life time".
But the 31-year-old, who now lives in Basingstoke, added it turned into the "experience from hell" after he was caught in the crush outside the stadium, teargassed by police and targeted by professional street gangs when trying to get back to the hotel on his own.
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Ben was out in Paris with his dad Tony, originally from Liverpool, and his brothers - Joe, 16, and Callum, 33, who was celebrating his birthday on Saturday. He said before the game everything was good and crowds gathered in the fan zone were enjoying their time in Paris.
But when they got to the stadium two hours before the game kicked off Ben and his family were bottlenecked through check points and crushed at the gates. He said riot police charged at both LFC and Real Madrid fans, kicking them down stairs and crushing them further against barriers, before using pepper spray and tear gas on everyone including families and children.
Ben was at Gate X, a neutral gate where fans of both clubs were trying to access the stadium. He told the ECHO : "It was the police versus the people. They weren't opening gates and were bottlenecking and crushing everyone.
"People want to make out Liverpool fans were climbing over walls to get in the stadium. But they were climbing to get away from the crush and pulling each other to safety.
"I had a valid ticket from a corporate sponsor but it wasn't working and none of the stewards were interested in helping. I ended up climbing under the turnstile. I crawled under and turned around and an old guy said 'I've got a real ticket' but the police officer smashed him in the face with his shield and sprayed him with gas.
"A dad lifted his young son over the barrier to get him away from the crush. I could hear women and children screaming - it was haunting, I felt like I was in a war zone.
"I got through but felt guilty for leaving people behind but I couldn't do anything else. I was born in 1990 but coming from a Scouse family I'm more than aware of Hillsborough. All I could think was I'm involved in a crush."
Although Ben got into the stadium his dad and brothers were turned away, despite having valid tickets. He added his family were put against a wall by police just for asking why they couldn't get in. Once past the crush Ben said it felt "surreal" as the stadium entrances were empty.
Despite having a corporate ticket, no steward helped Ben find his seat and he ended up watching the game from the steps in the corner of the stadium. He added when the game was nearing the end he realised he would have to go through the crush again to get out.
Ben climbed over a wall to escape the stadium after finding the gates closed at the end of the game. He said as soon as he dropped down he was surrounded by professional street gangs who were tapping his body and searching for his phone and money.
He said it took him over two hours to get back to his hotel with his journey plagued by street gangs who were attacking and robbing people around him. Ben added: "It was the most frightening thing I've ever had to go through."
Ben told the ECHO : "We were over the moon to be there to watch our team play the European cup final again. But the experience of a life time turned into absolute hell.
"I'm covered in cuts and blisters everywhere. Relief is an understatement now we're home - we didn't feel safe until we got back to London on the Eurostar.
"We've followed Liverpool all over the world and we've never seen policing like it."
