Police have named the man who has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, following the mass stabbing on a London-bound train on Friday.
Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article, British Transport Police said.
Armed police rushed to Huntingdon railway station to respond to the incident on Friday, which is understood to have started shortly after the LNER train left Peterborough station. Cambridgeshire Constabulary said the first emergency calls were received at 7.39pm.
Five victims have now been discharged from hospital, while a “heroic” railway worker remains in hospital fighting for his life.
A 35-year-old man from London who was also arrested at the scene has been released with no further action. The British Transport Police also ruled out the motivation of terrorism.
One woman said she came face-to-face with the knifeman as she tried to flee.
“I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me,’” Dayna Arnold told The Mirror. “Something shifted in his face and he just carried on. He said: ‘The devil is not going to win.'”
Key Points
- Police name man charged after stabbing
- Huntingdon station to stay closed on Monday
- Injured train staff member 'critical but stable'
- Suspect was not known to counter-terror police
- Recap: What we know about the Huntingdon knife attack
Police name man charged after stabbing
09:12
,
Athena Stavrou
Police have named the man who has been charged following the mass stabbing on a London-bound train on Friday.
Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article, British Transport Police said.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said: “The criminal investigation and support for the victims is a priority for British Transport Police.”
“Our investigation is also looking at other possible linked offences.
“Following the charges authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service I would stress the importance of not saying or publishing anything which might jeopardise or prejudice ongoing criminal proceedings, or the integrity of the investigation.”
Train moved from Huntingdon
09:07
,
Athena Stavrou
The LNER train where the mass stabbing attack took place on Friday has been moved from Huntingdon station.
According to the BBC, the train moved shortly before 8:45am.
Passengers on the train describe horror
08:47
,
Athena Stavrou
Several passengers on the train where a mass stabbing took place on Friday have described how the incident unfolded.
Alistair Day, who had travelled to watch Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, was by the buffet car when he thought a Halloween prank was unfolding.
He told the BBC: “Then they’re getting louder and louder, any sorts of people with blood on them [appeared] and I thought, ‘Oh, bloody hell, this is not good’.”
Thomas McLachlan, 19, from London, who was on the train returning from a trip to Newcastle, described how people were leaving the train “drenched in blood”.
He told the BBC: “I saw loads of other passengers getting off absolutely drenched in blood.
“There was one man clutching a white sheet to his head who looked like he was stabbed twice....really severe injuries.”
Dayna Arnold, 48, said she begged the knifeman to spare her life as he stood over her with a 6 inch blade after she was separated from her partner in the panic.
“I was running and when I looked back I saw the knifeman running after me,” the project manager told The Mirror.
“I fell down and I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me’. Something shifted in his face and he just carried on.”
Minister promises a review of security measures at stations and temporary increase in police patrols
08:32
,
Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has promised the government will conduct a review of security measures on train lines in the wake of Saturday's knife attack, as well as increasing visible police patrols at stations over the next few days.
Challenged on whether a temporary increase to patrols would make a long term difference to passenger safety, Ms Alexander insisted that "public transport generally is a low-crime environment".
Speaking to Sky News, she added: "This incident was absolutely horrific on Saturday night, and I don’t want to take away from that in any way – but generally, our trains are some of the most safest forms of public transport anywhere in the world.
“For every one million passenger journeys that are made, there are 27 crimes.”
The transport secretary continued: “Now for me, one crime is one crime too many, so we will after this review all of our security measures because that is the right thing to do.”
Transport secretary pays tribute to 'incredible bravery' of train staff
08:20
,
Athena Stavrou
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander paid tribute to the "incredible bravery" of the member of train staff injured while trying to protect passengers during Saturday's mass stabbing.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Alexander praised the “incredible bravery of the train staff, the train driver who got that train into Huntingdon station, the Network Rail controller, the signaller who got that train to a place of safety”.
“Most of all, I would like to say thank you to the emergency services and the one individual who is still critically ill in hospital, who is stable I’m pleased to say, but he went into work that morning to work on that train service, to serve passengers and he put himself in harm’s way.
“He went in to do his job and he left work a hero. And there are people who are alive today because of his actions and his bravery.”
Recap: Police identify 32-year-old as lone suspect
07:58
,
Athena Stavrou
A 32-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the Huntingdon train knife attack is now being treated as the only suspect, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
The man, from Peterborough, boarded the train at Peterborough station.
Another man, a 35-year-old from London, has been released with no further action, BTP said in a statement.
The force said police have established that he was not involved with the attack.
Police also confirmed that a knife was recovered by officers at the scene.
Suspect was not known to counter-terror police
07:45
,
Athena Stavrou
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the suspect in the mass stabbing on Saturday’s 6.25pm rail service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross was not known to counter-terrorism police or MI5.
She told Times Radio: “I’m not going to speculate about his motivations or the events that led up to the incident.”
She added: “What I can tell you is that he was not known to counter-terrorism police, he was not known to the security services, and he was not known to the Prevent programme.”
Asked if the suspect was known to mental health services, she said: “I’m not in a position to share any more information about the individual, I’m afraid.”
Injured train staff member 'critical but stable'
07:34
,
Athena Stavrou
The member of train staff who was seriously injured in the attack is “critical but stable”, a minister has said.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told Times Radio: “There are five people still in hospital, one of whom is the member of train crew… who this morning is in a critical but stable condition.
“Some of the other people who had been taken to hospital on Saturday night have now been discharged.”
Watch: Simon Calder: How Huntingdon train knife attack is impacting the rail network
07:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
What we know about the mass stabbing on a London-bound train
06:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
A 32-year-old British man from Peterborough remains in custody after a mass stabbing on a London-bound train left several passengers injured and one rail staff member fighting for his life.
Police said the suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after armed officers intercepted the train at Huntingdon station on Saturday evening.
The attack began shortly after the train left Peterborough, causing panic as passengers fled through carriages or barricaded themselves in toilets.
Initially, two men were detained, but a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent was later released with no further action.
Authorities said there is no evidence the incident was terror-related, describing it as an isolated act.
Detectives are examining the suspect’s background and movements before the attack.
A railway staff member, hailed as “heroic” by police, remains in critical condition after trying to stop the assailant.
What security is there on trains and which services are disrupted today?
06:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Huntingdon station to stay closed on Monday, but LNER plans ‘normal service’ on intercity routes
05:38
,
Simon Calder
National Rail issued an early morning update on disruption on Monday after Saturday’s knife attack on a train travelling from Doncaster to London.
The train was diverted to Huntingdon, where the emergency services helped passengers and crew.
The LNER train remains a crime scene that police are investigating.
Passengers are warned: “The emergency services are continuing to deal with a major incident between Hitchin and Peterborough. Whilst they carry out their work some lines are still closed.
“Great Northern and Thameslink services will not call at Huntingdon.”
LNER posted on X (formerly Twitter): “We expect to run a normal service today. We still recommend checking your journey closer to the time, using our journey checker.“If you have an Advance Single ticket [for Monday] then please travel on your booked service.”
ℹ️#LNERUpdate We expect to run a normal service today. We still recommend checking your journey closer to the time, using our journey checker. If you have an Advance Single ticket then please travel on your booked service. Travel information updates: https://t.co/o0hAZZ3XYh
— London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) November 3, 2025
The train operator says unused LNER tickets for Saturday or Sunday, 1-2 November, are valid for travel up to and including Friday 7 November.
“You don’t need to change or amend your ticket, but LNER recommend making a seat reservation before you travel,” the rail firm says.
Weekend engineering work in the York area has now ended, meaning trains can now run between London, northeast England and Scotland once again.
Eyewitness describes moment the attack unfolded
05:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Alistair Day, who had travelled to watch Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, was on the train when the attack unfolded.
He was quoted as saying by the BBC: “I was just by the buffet car. It was odd. I was at the end of the carriage, all these kids were running up and I thought it was like a prank - Halloween or students.”
Day was travelling back to Hertford.
“Then they’re getting louder and louder, any sorts of people with blood on them [appeared] and I thought, ‘Oh, bloody hell, this is not good’.”
Taxi driver says he witnessed knifeman asking the police to 'kill him'
05:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Taxi driver Viorel Turturica told ITV News he was parked next to the station when he heard a commotion from a man he believes was the suspect.
“He was holding the knife straight and asking the police to kill him,” Mr Turturica said.
“He repeated three or four times ‘kill me, kill me, kill me’.”
Forest owner offers to pay for club fans injured during train stabbing
04:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has offered to pay for the medical treatment of any club fans injured in a mass stabbing on a Doncaster-to-London train.
The attack left 11 people injured, two of them critically. Many of those on board were Forest supporters returning to London after the team’s 2–2 draw with Manchester United.
“Everyone at Nottingham Forest is shocked and deeply saddened by what happened,” said Marinakis.
“The courage and selflessness shown by our supporters on that train represents the very best of humanity and the very best of our club’s community.
“We will make sure any supporter caught up in this incident receives whatever financial support they require to enable them to access the best possible medical care as they recover.”
Pictured: Forensic teams work at Huntingdon train station
04:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Police identify 32-year-old as lone suspect
03:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Police have identified the lone suspect in the UK train stabbing as a 32-year-old Black British man from Peterborough who remains in custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
He is believed to have boarded the London-bound train in Peterborough shortly before the attack began.
Initially, two men were detained within minutes of the emergency call, but a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent was later released after investigators determined he was not involved.
Authorities say there is no evidence the incident was terror-related, and detectives are now examining the suspect’s background and actions leading up to the attack.
British Transport Police added that they are not seeking any additional suspects, describing the case as an isolated act.
Football fans on the LNER train during stabbing attack showed 'courage and selflessness', club says
03:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Nottingham Forest supporters living in London were travelling on the LNER train when the Huntingdon stabbings happened, the football club said in a statement on X, as the owner commended the courage and selflessness of supporters who helped others on board.
The club said: “Many of our London-based supporters were travelling home on that train following our match at the City Ground, and our thoughts are very much with everyone caught up in such a distressing incident.
“The club is aware that many individuals demonstrated extraordinary bravery, which undoubtedly helped prevent even greater harm.
“The entire Nottingham Forest family stands firmly behind them as they recover from the events of yesterday.”
Evangelos Marinakis, the club’s owner, added: “Everyone at Nottingham Forest is shocked and deeply saddened by what happened.
“The courage and selflessness shown by our supporters on that train represents the very best of humanity and the very best of our club’s community.
“We will make sure any supporter caught up in this incident receives whatever financial support they require to enable them to access the best possible medical care as they recover.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.”
Watch: Forensic officers remain at scene following knife attack on London-bound train in Cambridgeshire
02:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: What we know about the Huntingdon knife attack
01:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
- One 32-year-old British man from Peterborough is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
- A 35-year-old man from London who was also arrested at the scene has been released with no further action.
- Police have said there is nothing to suggest a terrorist incident.
- Eleven people were hospitalised after the attack. One, a member of LNER staff who tried to stop the attack, remains in a life-threatening condition, while five others have since been discharged.
- The train, which was heading to London Kings Cross, was diverted the train into Huntingdon station last night so police could respond to the incident. The driver who stopped the train at Huntingdon is understood to be called Andrew Johnson.
- Huntingdon station itself remains closed, but the rail line has reopened and trains are able to pass through on their way to London
‘The devil is not going to win' train attacker told passengers
00:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Passengers on the train involved in the attack tried to hide on the buffet car, the BBC reported.
Alistair Day said he and others managed to get into it after seeing other passengers running towards them with blood on them.
He told the BBC he saw “a man at the window with his knife” trying to get in, but by then the buffet car was locked.
One woman said she came face-to-face with the knifeman who was running through the carriage.
Dayna Arnold told the Mirror she fell as she tried to flee.
“I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me’,” she said.
“Something shifted in his face and he just carried on. He said: ‘The devil is not going to win.'”
Watch: John Healey reveals he was on Cambridgeshire knife attack train route with his wife hours before incident
Sunday 2 November 2025 23:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Extra police officers are being deployed following the attack
Sunday 2 November 2025 23:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Extra police officers are being deployed across the rail network following the knife attack on a train near Huntingdon, with disruption on the line expected to last until the end of Monday.
Government sources have confirmed there will be a “surge” in police presence until at least Tuesday focusing on major terminals such as London, Birmingham, York, Leeds and Manchester, as well as at Huntingdon.
The police officers are likely to be most visible in London and at Huntingdon, but will be deployed across as much of the rail network as possible.
There will also be a visible police presence on trains on the east coast mainline, with sources saying officers usually focus on stations but it was “important to reassure passengers”.
Huntingdon train stabbing: Police continue to question British suspect as rail staff member still fighting for life
Sunday 2 November 2025 22:31
,
Rebecca Whittaker
A rail staff member is still fighting for his life and a British man remains in police custody after a knife attack unleashed horror on a London-bound train, leaving 11 injured.
Read more here:
Watch: How Huntingdon train knife attack is impacting the rail network
Sunday 2 November 2025 22:00
,
Nicole Wootton-Cane
‘I thought it was a Halloween prank - then people covered in blood appeared'
Sunday 2 November 2025 21:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Rail workers praised for diverting train to Huntingdon
Sunday 2 November 2025 21:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Rail workers who helped to divert the train heading to London Kings Cross into Huntingdon station last night have been praised by the RMT union.
Staff diverted the train, which was going at more than 120mph, to a slower line so it could make an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon so police could respond to the incident.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Today I am spending time with RMT members working for LNER and our wider railway family.
“I won't be doing any media interviews until the authorities have established the full facts of this horrific mass stabbing onboard an LNER train.
“I want to commend the professionalism, bravery and steadfastness of all the railway workers involved from the train crew to the driver and our members in operations who quickly assisted in diverting the King’s Cross bound train into Huntingdon station, allowing the police and emergency services to take swift action.
“I will be seeking urgent meetings with government, rail employers and police to ensure that we have the strongest possible support, resources and robust procedures in place to protect our members and the traveling public.”
Prince and Princess of Wales have said their thoughts are with all those affected by attack
Sunday 2 November 2025 20:45
,
Rebecca Whittaker
The Prince and Princess of Wales have said their thoughts are with all those affected by the Huntingdon attack.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson told reporters: “I spoke to the Prince of Wales this morning and he also asked me to express his and the Princess of Wales’ thoughts for the families and friends of all those impacted by the horrific events last night near Huntingdon.
“He also wishes for me to express his thoughts are also with the first responders and train staff that acted so swiftly.”
Driver of the train named as Andrew Johnson
Sunday 2 November 2025 20:36
,
Rebecca Whittaker
The train, which was heading to London Kings Cross, was diverted the train into Huntingdon station last night so police could respond to the incident.
The driver who stopped the train at Huntingdon is understood to be called Andrew Johnson.
An Aslef union officer said the driver is “very shaken” but “good” and commended him for doing “exactly the right thing”.
Watch: Train stabbing eyewitness describes moment 'hero' threw himself in front of attacker's knife to save girl
Sunday 2 November 2025 20:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
'The driver did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way'
Sunday 2 November 2025 20:15
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Nigel Roebuck, full-time organiser in the north-east of England for the train drivers’ union Aslef and lead officer with LNER, said: “The driver did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way.
“He brought the train into a station where passengers could disembark safely and where police, fire and rescue, and ambulance crew could get on to the train and attend to the victims and, we believe, catch the culprit.
“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.”
The train attack is the latest in a number of high-profile multiple stabbings
Sunday 2 November 2025 20:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
A 32-year- old man born in Britain is suspected of carrying out the Huntingdon train knife attack which is not believed to have been motivated by terrorism, police have said.
But the train attack is the latest in a number of high-profile multiple stabbings in the UK.
Knife-enabled homicides stood at 196 in the year to June, down 18 per cent from 239 in the previous 12 months.
However, the number of offences classed as knife-enabled threats to kill has risen by 7 per cent year on year from 5,719 to 6,126.
The number of offences classed as “possession of an article with a blade or point” stood at 28,499, up 3 per cent year on year from 27,760 – and higher than the pre-pandemic figure of 23,265 in 2019/20.
Woman begged knifeman 'please don't kill me'
Sunday 2 November 2025 19:45
,
Rebecca Whittaker
The Independent’s crime correspondent Amy-Clare Martin reports...
Dayna Arnold, 48, revealed she begged the knifeman to spare her life as he stood over her with a 6ins blade after she was separated from her partner in the panic.
“I was running and when I looked back I saw the knifeman running after me,” the project manager told The Mirror.
“I fell down and I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me’. Something shifted in his face and he just carried on.”
Meanwhile her partner Andy Gray, 37, used his belt as a torniquet to help a young man who was bleeding profusely from a would on his arm.
“He had gashes on his arm and a severe puncture under his arm. There was a lot of blood coming out of him.
“He said, ‘I’ve been stabbed, please help me.’ It looked like an artery had been hit. I took off my belt and made a tourniquet. He was saying, ‘Please call my dad, I don’t want to die’.”
He added: “I still have [the victim’s] blood on my jumper. I heard there were two people critical so I hoped we saved his life.”
Nottingham Forest football club owner vowed to help fund medical care for any fans involved in attack
Sunday 2 November 2025 19:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has vowed to help fund medical care for any fan involved in the Huntingdon train knife attack after a season-ticket holder suffered serious injuries protecting a young girl.
One of those involved in the incident was a Forest season-ticket holder who suffered serious injuries in the process of protecting a young girl during the attack.
Mr Marinakis said he will fund medical care for any Forest fan injured in the incident.
“Everyone at Nottingham Forest is shocked and deeply saddened by what happened,” He said in a statement.
“The courage and selflessness shown by our supporters on that train represents the very best of humanity and the very best of our club’s community.
“We will make sure any supporter caught up in this incident receives whatever financial support they require to enable them to access the best possible medical care as they recover.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.”
Watch: ‘It was horrible – you don’t know if you’re going to be next’: Student describes chaos as attacker stabbed passengers on train
Sunday 2 November 2025 19:15
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Trains are expected to run as normal on Monday
Sunday 2 November 2025 19:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
LNER trains is expecting services to run as normal on Monday, but the train company still recommends checking your journey before travelling.
Huntingdon station has been closed all day following the stabbing attack on Saturday night.
ℹ️#LNERUpdate We expect to run a normal service tomorrow, Monday 03 November. We still recommend checking your journey closer to the time, using our journey checker. If you have an Advance Single ticket then please travel on your booked service.https://t.co/o0hAZZ3XYh
— London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) November 2, 2025
Transport secretary says train staff were 'heroic and saved lives'
Sunday 2 November 2025 18:49
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has thanked transport police and train staff for being “heroic” and “saving lives.”
In a post on X she wrote: “From the updates I’ve received throughout the day, it’s crystal clear that the actions of @LNER and @BTP staff last night were heroic and saved lives.
From the updates I’ve received throughout the day, it’s crystal clear that the actions of @LNER and @BTP staff last night were heroic and saved lives.
— Heidi Alexander MP (@Heidi_Labour) November 2, 2025
My thoughts remain with the LNER staff member in hospital and their family.https://t.co/Krckfb6LKQ
'There were definitely many heroes on that day,' witness says
Sunday 2 November 2025 18:44
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Rebecca Whittaker
Witness Thomas McLachlan told the BBC: “I will say there were definitely many heroes on that day, many kind people who just wanted to help those around them – people handing out blankets, hand warmers.
“One other man who I saw, one of the injured people getting off the train, had been slashed in the face – from the account that I heard, he was trying to protect a young girl from being attacked by the attacker, and he took that injury to the face out of protection for her – that’s some real selflessness, right there.”
He went on: “I saw multiple people covered in blood, and seeing how severe their injuries were, I realised this is something really, really bad.
“It just seemed to keep on escalating and escalating.”
Witness sid people were leaving the train were 'drenched in blood'
Sunday 2 November 2025 18:42
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Witness Thomas McLachlan, 19, from London, who was on the train returning from a trip to Newcastle, described how people were leaving the train “drenched in blood”.
He told the BBC: “I heard the words ‘He’s been stabbed’ and I saw the panic spread among the faces of the people of the carriage.
“A couple of minutes after that the train pulled into Huntingdon and I saw loads of other passengers getting off absolutely drenched in blood.
“There was one man clutching a white sheet to his head who looked like he was stabbed twice. (There were ) really severe injuries. And there was just general fear among everyone involved.”
He went on: “There was one elderly gentleman who had been stabbed (in the) back, just after we exited the station, (he) lifted up his shirt, and he had a seeping wound in his lower back, quite severe.
“I attempted to apply pressure to that, and I was only able to do that for a few seconds before everyone started running again, because that was when the attacker had finally got off the train still holding his knife.
“Everyone went running for dear life, panicking, screaming all around.”
Driver of the train was 'shaken up' but is receiving support
Sunday 2 November 2025 18:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Nigel Roebuck, Aslef officer who leads on negotiations with LNER, said the driver of the train on which the Huntingdon mass stabbing took place was “shaken up” but is receiving support.
Asked how the driver is doing, Mr Roebuck told Sky News: “He
