The Saturday evening LNER Azuma service from Doncaster to London was crowded and on time as it departed Peterborough station shortly after 7.30pm. But within minutes, the routine journey turned into a scene of horror as a man armed with a knife began stabbing passengers, leaving ten people injured and bloodied carriages.
For many, the first warning came via an announcement over the train’s public address system. “We are aware there is an incident … just keep yourselves safe,” a member of staff said. Given that it was Halloween weekend, some initially dismissed the commotion as a prank – until they saw the fear in fellow passengers’ eyes and the blood on their hands.
Passenger Olly Foster told the BBC: “A guy suddenly ran past going: ‘Run, run. There’s a guy literally stabbing everyone and everything.’ At first there were a few of us looking at each other thinking it was a joke. But then you could kind of see in their faces they were being serious.” He added that he put his hand on a chair to push himself forward and found it covered in blood. “By now, panic had broken out as passengers began streaming from the direction of the attack.”
Dayna Arnold became separated from her partner, Andy Gray, as people fled. She told the Daily Mirror she fell to the floor and pleaded with the attacker, saying “please don’t kill me”. She recalled: “Something shifted in his face and he just carried on. He said: ‘The devil is not going to win.’” Another passenger, who gave his name as Gavin, described seeing an “extremely bloodied” victim collapse on the floor, blocking his escape.
One LNER staff member heroically intervened to stop the attacker, suffering life‑threatening injuries. Police praised his actions, saying CCTV footage showed he “undoubtedly saved many people’s lives”. The train did not stop until it reached Huntingdon station at 7.44pm, following standard protocols after an emergency alarm was pulled. For those on board, the 20‑mile journey “felt like forever”.
British Transport Police arrested a 32‑year‑old British man on suspicion of attempted murder; he remains in custody. A second man, 35, was arrested but later released without charge. By Sunday evening, five of the ten injured had been discharged from hospital; the heroic staff member’s condition remained life‑threatening.
