Driver and Rail Worker Hailed as Heroes After Stabbing on LNER Service — Suspect Arrested Within 11 Minutes

Quick action by crew and driver credited with saving lives after train stabbing

British police say just 11 minutes passed between the first emergency call about a stabbing aboard a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service and the arrest of the suspect. The attack occurred on a high-speed train shortly after it left Peterborough station on Saturday evening.

Eleven people were taken to hospital, including a railway worker who remains in critical but stable condition. Authorities and witnesses have praised the railway employee who confronted the attacker and the driver who diverted the train into Huntingdon station so officers could quickly board.

Timeline and response

Cambridgeshire police received the first emergency call at approximately 7:39 p.m. local time. Open-source records indicate a signaler first altered the train's planned route at 7:40 p.m., allowing the service to be routed onto a slow line into Huntingdon. The LNER train stopped alongside the platform at about 7:44 p.m., and officers arrested a 32-year-old man on the platform by 7:50 p.m.

Huntingdon station is close to Cambridgeshire Constabulary's headquarters, enabling a rapid police response. Armed officers were seen evacuating passengers and securing the scene.

People praised for bravery

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood paid tribute to the railway worker who "ran toward danger, confronting the attacker for a sustained period of time, and stopped his advance through the train." British Transport Police (BTP) said detectives reviewing CCTV described the worker's actions as "nothing short of heroic" and credited them with saving many lives.

Driver Andrew Johnson, from Peterborough, was commended for remaining calm and for choosing not to make an emergency stop between stations — a move that would have complicated the response. Johnson, who reportedly served in the Royal Navy for 17 years, told ITV News: "I was only doing my job. It was my colleague who is in hospital who was the brave one."

Nigel Roebuck, an organiser for the train drivers' union ASLEF and an LNER lead officer, said the driver "did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way" and praised his courage and dedication.

Investigation and charges

Police said there is no evidence to suggest the incident was terror-related; the suspect was not known to security services, counter-terror police or the Home Office's Prevent programme, officials said. The man arrested has been named by authorities as Anthony Williams, 32, of Peterborough.

Williams has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article. He faces an additional count of attempted murder linked to a separate incident earlier on Saturday at a London station. He was remanded in custody following a court appearance; his next hearing is scheduled for December 1.

A second man initially arrested at the scene was later released without charge.

Related incidents and witness accounts

Cambridgeshire police said three further incidents believed to be connected to the attacker occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening and Saturday morning; one involved a stabbing in the city centre in which a 14-year-old was treated for minor injuries.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes aboard the train. Passenger Wren Chambers told the BBC she heard screaming and saw a man running down the train with a wound and heavy bleeding. Many passengers sought shelter in toilets or the buffet carriage, while others helped the injured by handing out blankets and first-aid items.

"There were definitely many heroes on that day, many kind people who just wanted to help those around them," said witness Thomas McLachlan.

Among those still in hospital is Scunthorpe United player Jonathan Gjoshe, who the club said sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Five of the injured have since been discharged, BTP said.

Official responses

LNER managing director David Horne thanked the driver, crew and operational teams for their "bravery and quick actions." Officials continue to investigate motives and the full circumstances surrounding the attacks.

Sources: Cambridgeshire Police, British Transport Police, LNER, BBC, ITV, PA Media and court reports.