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We Didn't Make These Up: Liverpool Echo's Most Ridiculous Clickbait Headlines

A satirical look at genuine Liverpool Echo headlines that say plenty, reveal almost nothing, and somehow still make you click to find the missing detail.

By Amy L · 18 Sep 2026 · 6 min read

In this story
  1. “I visited the tiny underrated Liverpool park that felt proper Scouse”
  2. “Dad couldn't believe what Harvey Elliott asked him while getting his hair cut”
  3. “Birkenhead man went into Liverpool pub and left customers amazed”
  4. “Liverpool shop's three-word message to Mo Salah days after emotional revelation”
  5. “Man 'couldn't believe what he saw' when got to his car”
  6. The system
  7. “Met Office weather map gives bank holiday verdict for Liverpool”
  8. “Foo Fighters leave verdict on Liverpool after two Anfield gigs”
  9. “£12.50 notebook is actually worth a 'tremendous' fortune”
  10. And eventually...

No, we didn't make these up.

These are genuine Liverpool Echo headlines and social posts. The dates below link to the originals.

“I visited the tiny underrated Liverpool park that felt proper Scouse”

28 June 2026 · Liverpool Echo

A park that felt proper Scouse.

It raises questions nobody had previously thought necessary to ask about public green space.

Presumably somebody checked the duck's postcode.

Stick-figure cartoon of a person assessing whether a small Liverpool park feels proper Scouse
L1 Local illustration.

“Dad couldn't believe what Harvey Elliott asked him while getting his hair cut”

21 June 2026 · Liverpool Echo on X

Harvey Elliott asked a man a question while having his hair cut.

The question was apparently sufficiently powerful to interfere with the man's ability to believe things.

What did he ask?

That's the interesting bit, so naturally it isn't in the headline.

“Birkenhead man went into Liverpool pub and left customers amazed”

13 April 2026 · Liverpool Echo

A man from Birkenhead entered a Liverpool pub.

So far, nothing requiring the mobilisation of local media.

Then he took hold of a microphone and performed for the pub. That information, however, would have seriously damaged the mystery.

Man enters pub. Customers amazed.

Much better.

Stick-figure cartoon of a man entering a Liverpool pub while customers react in amazement
L1 Local illustration.

“Liverpool shop's three-word message to Mo Salah days after emotional revelation”

27 March 2026 · Liverpool Echo

The three-word message is one of the finest tools available to modern clickbait.

Three words are short enough to fit comfortably in a headline. Which is exactly why you must never put them there.

The message was:

“Thank you Mo.”

There. Carry on with your day.

“Man 'couldn't believe what he saw' when got to his car”

4 November 2025 · Liverpool Echo on X

Liverpool Echo stories contain an unusually high number of people temporarily unable to believe something.

This gentleman reached his car and joined them.

What did he see?

That's between him, the Echo and anybody prepared to click.

Stick-figure cartoon of a shocked man standing beside his car without revealing what surprised him
L1 Local illustration.

The system

After enough of these, the technique becomes fairly clear.

Start with the useful information.

Remove it.

Insert one of the following: what happened, what he saw, couldn't believe, verdict, revelation or three-word message.

Then send the reader in to retrieve the missing noun.

Preferably past an advert or two.

“Met Office weather map gives bank holiday verdict for Liverpool”

24 August 2026 · Liverpool Echo on X

The Met Office used to issue forecasts.

Now its maps apparently issue verdicts.

The evidence was considered.

Liverpool was found guilty of weather.

Stick-figure courtroom cartoon showing a weather map preparing to give Liverpool a verdict
L1 Local illustration.

“Foo Fighters leave verdict on Liverpool after two Anfield gigs”

28 June 2026 · Liverpool Echo on X

Another verdict.

For a city with no formal proceedings under way, Liverpool receives a remarkable number of them.

Two nights at Anfield and the Foo Fighters were apparently ready to deliver judgment.

Fortunately, nobody had to wait for sentencing.

“£12.50 notebook is actually worth a 'tremendous' fortune”

28 June 2026 · Liverpool Echo

How much?

That is quite literally the story.

A £12.50 notebook is worth an unexpectedly large amount of money, but the amount itself has been removed.

It's difficult to imagine a cleaner example of the system.

The answer exists.

Just not where you need it.

Stick-figure auction cartoon showing a notebook with its supposed tremendous value replaced by question marks
L1 Local illustration.

And eventually...

There is really only one place left for this to go.

“Liverpool dad couldn't believe three-word verdict after what was found in underrated city park”

Who?

What park?

What was found?

What verdict?

What three words?

Nothing.

A headline containing plenty of words and virtually no news.

You'd probably still click it.

Which rather explains the problem.

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