Two arrested after multiple people stabbed on train, police say

Two people have been arrested after a number of people were stabbed on a train to a Cambridgeshire town, police have said.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary said armed police attended after officers were called to the scene at Huntingdon station at 7.39pm on Saturday.

The Prime Minister said the incident was “deeply concerning” and urged people to follow police advice.

In a statement on X, Sir Keir Starmer said: “The appalling incident on a train near Huntingdon is deeply concerning.

“My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response.

“Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the police.”

Video footage on social media showed scores of blue-light police cars and emergency vehicles in a station car park, and a team of armed police running towards the stationary train at Huntingdon station.

Witnesses described seeing a man with a large knife, and passengers hiding in the toilets to escape the rampage, The Times reported.

One witness told the paper there was “blood everywhere” and people were getting “stamped” on by others as they tried to flee.

“I heard some people shouting we love (you),” the witness said.

In their statement, British Transport Police said on X: “We are currently responding to an incident on a train to Huntingdon where multiple people have been stabbed.

“Officers are in attendance alongside @CambsCops and two people have been arrested.”

The attack is understood to have started shortly after the LNER train left Peterborough station.

In a statement on Facebook, Cambridgeshire Constabulary said: “We were called at 7.39pm with reports that multiple people had been stabbed on a train.

“Armed officers attended and the train was stopped at Huntingdon, where two men were arrested. A number of people have been taken to hospital.

“The incident remains ongoing and the A1307 has been closed as you approach the town centre.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “deeply saddened” to hear of the stabbings and added: “I urge people to avoid comment and speculation at this early stage.”

Huntingdon Station is closed, National Rail said, with all lines blocked.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER), which operates East Coast Mainline services in the UK, confirmed the incident had happened on one of its trains and has urged passengers not to travel because of “major disruption”.

In a statement on X at 9.21pm, LNER said: “We are experiencing major disruption across the LNER route. Emergency services are dealing with an incident at Huntingdon station, all lines are blocked.

“Our advice is ‘Do Not Travel’. Please defer your travel where you can.”

Cambridgeshire Constabulary urged anyone with information about the incident to report it online at https://www.cambs.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report quoting incident 495 of November 1, or by calling 101.