Bomb scare at The Grand National
The 150th Grand National horse race was disrupted by the IRA sending two coded bomb threats meaning the world famous steeplechase had to be abandoned.
On 5th April 1997, the 150th Grand National horse race was meant to take place at the Aintree racecourse near Liverpool. But the IRA sent 2 coded bomb threats which meant the world famous steeplechase had to be abandoned. Managing Director of the course at the time, Charles Barnett, tells Uma Doraiswamy what it was like to be the man responsible for safely evacuating 70,000 people and trying to get the race back on track.
(Photo: A sign instructs the public on the evacuation procedure due to the IRA bomb scare which postponed The Grand National in April 1997. Credit: Getty)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Thu 13 Apr 2023 09:50GMT大象传媒 World Service
- Thu 13 Apr 2023 23:50GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa
- Sat 15 Apr 2023 04:50GMT大象传媒 World Service Europe and the Middle East & East and Southern Africa only
- Sat 15 Apr 2023 17:50GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sat 15 Apr 2023 18:50GMT大象传媒 World Service West and Central Africa
- Sat 15 Apr 2023 23:50GMT大象传媒 World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sun 16 Apr 2023 00:50GMT大象传媒 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Sun 16 Apr 2023 03:50GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sun 16 Apr 2023 19:50GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 16 Apr 2023 23:50GMT大象传媒 World Service West and Central Africa
- Mon 17 Apr 2023 02:50GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa
Olympic history
The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history
Sporting Witness Films
Watch sporting heroes tell their stories of astonishing achievement
Podcast
-
![]()
Sporting Witness
Personal stories of amazing moments from sporting history told by people who were there
