A railway worker hailed as a “hero” is fighting for his life after confronting a knife-wielding man who launched a violent attack on passengers aboard a packed train at Huntingdon. The London North Eastern Railway (LNER) staff member — who has not yet been named — suffered critical injuries while attempting to shield others during the stabbing spree on Saturday’s 6.25pm Doncaster to London King’s Cross service.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy of British Transport Police (BTP) said CCTV footage captured the man’s “extraordinary bravery,” adding that his intervention “undoubtedly saved lives.” Witnesses described scenes of chaos and terror shortly after the train departed Peterborough station, as passengers scrambled to escape or hide from the attacker. One woman said she felt “incredibly lucky” to survive after pleading with the man to spare her life. Dayna Arnold, 48, told the Mirror: “I fell down and said, ‘Please don’t kill me.’ Something changed in his expression and he just moved on. He said, ‘The devil is not going to win.’”
Olly Foster, another passenger, told the BBC an older man “blocked” the attacker from stabbing a young girl, sustaining wounds to his head and neck in the process. Foster said other passengers used their clothing to stem the bleeding.
Thomas McLachlan, 19, from London, told BBC News he saw people leaving the train “drenched in blood.” Others described barricading themselves inside toilets and the buffet car as the violence continued.
BTP declared a major incident when the train stopped in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, after passengers pulled emergency alarms. Officers were called at 7.42pm, and two men were arrested eight minutes later.
Taxi driver Viorel Turturica, who was parked near the station, told ITV News he witnessed a man behaving erratically: “He was holding the knife straight and asking the police to kill him. He repeated three or four times, ‘Kill me, kill me, kill me.’”
Other witnesses said the suspect was subdued with a Taser before being detained.
Police said a 32-year-old black British man from Peterborough remains in custody on suspicion of attempted murder. He had boarded the train at Peterborough at 7.30pm. A 35-year-old man from London who was also detained was later released without charge after officers confirmed he was not involved.
Of the ten people taken to hospital, five have since been discharged.
Deputy Chief Constable Cundy said: “This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact. My thoughts, and those of everyone in British Transport Police, are with those injured and their families — especially the brave member of rail staff whose family are being supported by specialist officers.”
Police recovered a knife at the scene, and investigators said there was no indication that the attack was terror-related.
David Horne, managing director of LNER, said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, particularly our colleague who remains in a life-threatening condition, and their family. I would also like to recognise the driver, crew and our operational response colleagues for their bravery and quick actions.”
Train driver Andrew Johnson, a Royal Navy veteran, is reported to have diverted the train onto a different track so he could stop at Huntingdon — a non-scheduled stop — to get help. He told ITV News: “I was only doing my job. It was my colleague who is in hospital who was the brave one.”
Nigel Roebuck, full-time organiser for the train drivers’ union Aslef and lead officer with LNER, praised the crew’s response: “The driver did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way. He showed real courage, real dedication, and real determination in the most difficult of circumstances. Our thoughts tonight are with his colleague who is still in intensive care.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to make a statement about the attack in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.
Huntingdon station remains closed as police continue their investigation, and officers have thanked the public for their patience.
LNER, which operates the East Coast Main Line, expects normal service to resume on Monday. Passengers are advised to check for travel updates before setting off.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016, quoting reference 663 of 01/11/25.
