The UK’s terror threat level remains unchanged following the stabbings in Huntingdon, the defence secretary said, adding that he took the same train route just hours before the attack.
John Healey told Sky News: “This was the very service that my wife and I, Jackie, took just a few hours before this attack. It’s the service I use every week to get home to Rotherham, so I can’t begin to imagine how shocked and frightened those passengers were.”
Asked by Sir Trevor Phillips if the attack had changed the UK’s terror threat level, he said it remained “substantial” — meaning an attack is considered “likely” — as before.
Farage: ‘We need to know who committed attacks’
Nigel Farage has said the public needs to know who carried out the stabbings “as soon as possible”, as the police continue to hold two suspects.
The Reform UK leader posted on X to say: “The attack last night in Huntington was horrific.”
“My thoughts are with all the victims and their families”, he added. “We need to know who committed these awful attacks as soon as possible.”
Roads closed and train remains in station as police investigate
The LNER train where the violence unfolded last night remains at Huntingdon station, which has been cordoned off by police as their investigation continues.
The train at Huntingdon station
TERRY HARRIS FOR THE TIMES
A number of officers are positioned around the station, outside of which people’s belongings can be seen scattered on the ground. Other emergency personnel are also on the scene.
The road directly outside the station’s car park, the A1307, is shut and a number of police vehicles are on the road.
Attack was isolated incident but stay vigilant, warns Healey
The Huntingdon train attack was an “isolated incident”, the defence secretary said as he urged the public to “get on with their lives”.
John Healey told Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “Well, for me, the British public are pretty tough, pretty resilient.
John Healey
JUSTIN NG/ALAMY
“We’re not going to be deflected from carrying out our everyday lives.
“And that’s right, I don’t want people to feel that they can’t or they shouldn’t, and they will.
“But I think it requires us all to be more vigilant, more vigilant about our electronic devices, about the risk of cyberfraud and cyberattack and just be more vigilant for looking out for others around us.”
No confirmation of motive for attack, say police
Police urged the public not to speculate on “the causes of the incident”.
A view inside a carriage of the train on Sunday morning
TERRY HARRIS FOR THE TIMES
Chief superintendent Chris Casey, the commander for London and southeast England, said: “This is a shocking incident and first and foremost my thoughts are with those who have been injured this evening and their families.
“We’re conducting urgent enquiries to establish what has happened, and it could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything further. At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.
“Our response is ongoing at the station and will be for some time. Cordons are in place and trains are not currently running through the area, and there are also some road closures.”
‘Blood everywhere’ as man with large knife rampaged — witnesses
Witnesses have spoken to The Times of seeing a man with a large knife and passengers hiding in the toilets to escape the rampage. One said there was “blood everywhere” and people were getting “stamped” on by others as they tried to flee. The witness said: “I heard some people shouting we love [you].”
Witnesses described terrifying scenes that unfolded on the train
TOBY SHEPHEARD/STORY PICTURE AGENCY
One man, who gave his name as Gavin, told Sky News he believed he saw the suspect tasered before he was arrested.
Olly Foster told the BBC he initially heard people shouting “run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone”, and believed it might have been a prank related to Halloween. An older man “blocked” the attacker from stabbing a younger girl, leaving him with injuries to his head and neck, Foster said, adding other passengers used their clothing to try and stem the bleeding.
Police terror declaration later rescinded
The British Transport Police have confirmed that officers responding to the mass stabbing at one point declared “Plato”, which is the national code word used by emergency services when responding to a “marauding terror attack”.
This declaration was later rescinded, the force said.
An armed police officer at the scene last night
TOBY SHEPHEARD/STORY PICTURE AGENCY
Cambridgeshire police said they were called at 7.39pmobn Saturday to reports that multiple people had been stabbed on a train, which was arriving at Huntingdon station. Armed police from the force, which is headquartered less than a mile away from Huntingdon station, arrived five minutes later and boarded the train, where officers arrested the two suspects.
British Transport Police were called at 7.42pm and are now leading the investigation. Police secured the train and were on the scene with dog units.
Suspect ‘tasered before arrest’
Two men were arrested after armed officers responded to emergency calls reporting the attack.
One witness, who gave his name as Gavin, told Sky News he believed a suspect was tasered before being arrested. He said he was told the witness was “a black male in all black”.
Police have not yet confirmed the ages of those arrested or what they have been arrested on suspicion of.
Nine in life-threatening condition after attack
Ten people were injured in a mass stabbing on the Doncaster to London train on Saturday night, including nine who were said to be in a life-threatening condition.
The British Transport Police (BTP), which is leading the investigation, said shortly after midnight that there had been no immediate fatalities.
David Horne, managing director of LNER, praised the emergency services for their “quick and professional response and the care they have provided to those injured”.
