A railway worker is fighting for his life after being stabbed while intervening in an attack on a train in Cambridgeshire. British Transport Police (BTP) described the LNER employee as 'heroic' and said his actions 'undoubtedly saved lives'. The incident occurred on the 6.25pm service from Peterborough to London King's Cross on Saturday evening.
The train made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station after the attack began. Eleven people were taken to hospital, with five since discharged. A 32-year-old British man from Peterborough remains in custody. Police have said there is no evidence to suggest a terrorist motive.
The driver, named as Andrew Johnson, diverted the train to Huntingdon to allow emergency services quick access. He said: 'I was only doing my job,' and praised his injured colleague as 'the brave one'. Witnesses described a 'terrifying' 14-minute ordeal with bloodied passengers running through carriages.
BTP Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said: 'Having viewed the CCTV from the train, the actions of the member of rail staff were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved people’s lives.' The suspect was Tasered on the platform and reportedly shouted 'Kill me, kill me'.
Rail unions have called for urgent meetings with the government and rail employers to review security. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons on Monday.
