A train worker has been hailed as a hero after confronting a knifeman on a busy train in Huntingdon on Saturday. The worker, who has not been named, remains in a critical but stable condition following the attack.
Stephen Crean, 61, a passenger who fought back against the attacker, said he had no choice but to defend himself. He recalled a young woman running through his carriage shouting: 'Knife, knife, there's a man with a big knife.' The knifeman then asked if he wanted to die before stabbing him in the arm.
Mr Crean, from southwest London, said he was returning home from Doncaster when the attack occurred. He described using only his fists to fight off the assailant, who wielded a 'sword-type thing.' He suffered multiple injuries, including to his fingers, head, and face, and requires plastic surgery.
Eleven people were taken to hospital after the attack. Suspect Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder, including ten linked to the train attack and one for a separate incident on the Docklands Light Railway in London earlier that day. He also faces charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of a bladed article.
Scunthorpe United confirmed that their player, Jonathan Gjoshe, was among the victims, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. Mr Crean, reflecting on his actions, said: 'Probably not many people would've done it, but then you're leaving people behind you vulnerable.'
