Huntingdon train stabbings: Hero passenger 'blocked attacker' to save young girl

A pensioner has reportedly saved a young girl from getting stabbed during yesterday's incident on a train in Huntingdon. Witness Olly Foster told the BBC that the old man "blocked" the attacker from getting to a younger girl, leaving him with injuries to his head and neck. Mr Foster said other passengers used their clothing to try and stem the bleeding in an incident that "felt like forever".

At 7.42pm on Saturday (1 November), British Transport Police were called to reports of a multiple stabbing on board the 6.25pm train service from Doncaster to London King's Cross. The major incident left 10 people in hospital - with nine of them suffering from life-threatening injuries. Armed police, paramedics, air ambulances, and transport police were deployed to the train, which had made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire. Two people have been arrested and remain in police custody. Counter-terrorism officers have been called in to investigate the matter.

Mr Foster told the BBC he initially thought it was a Halloween prank when he first heard people shouting "run, run, there's a guy literally stabbing everyone".

When he noticed his hand was "covered in blood" and there was "blood all over the chair" he had leaned on, he quickly realised this was not a prank.

Passengers saw people trampling over each other, and some hiding in the toilets to escape. One witness said he saw one of the attackers being tasered by police before being arrested.

A witness told Sky News that he saw around 12 people being treated for injuries. He said a passenger fled through the train saying "I've been stabbed" and added: "They were extremely bloodied. That person ended up, when we pulled in, they were basically on the floor. We couldn't progress further down the train away from the suspect, because that person ended up collapsing on the floor."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "deeply concerned" by the "appalling incident". The station remains closed with many train services cancelled.