Terror fears after train stabbings near Cambridge leave 10 hospitalised; PM Starmer calls attack ‘appalling’

At least ten people were hospitalized — nine of them critically — after a horrifying mass stabbing on a London-bound train near Cambridge on November 1 evening, prompting a major incident declaration and brief activation of the UK’s counterterror alert system.

The attack unfolded aboard a Doncaster-to-London King’s Cross service as it approached Huntingdon, around 120 kilometres north of the capital. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as passengers scrambled through carriages to flee the attackers.

Emergency services mounted a massive response at Huntingdon Railway Station. The East of England Ambulance Service said it deployed numerous ambulances, specialist critical-care teams, and three air ambulances to the scene. “We can confirm we have transported multiple patients to hospital,” the service said, according to Reuters.

The British Transport Police (BTP), which is leading the investigation, confirmed that two men had been arrested in connection with the stabbings. Armed officers stopped the train at Huntingdon at around 7:39 pm local time, where the suspects were detained. One of them, eyewitnesses told Sky News, was waving a large knife before being tasered by police.

Authorities briefly activated the national “Plato” protocol — used when responding to potential marauding terror attacks — before standing it down once the immediate threat was contained. “At this early stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident,” said Chief Superintendent Chris Casey, adding that urgent inquiries were underway.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as “appalling” and expressed solidarity with those affected. “My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response,” he said on X.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “deeply saddened” by the violence and urged the public to refrain from speculation while investigations continue. “Two suspects have been immediately arrested and taken into custody,” she confirmed, adding that she was receiving regular updates from law enforcement.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp described the episode as a “brutal mass attack,” praising the police and emergency responders for their swift action and calling for early clarity on the investigation.

Roads leading into Huntingdon were closed, and services on the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) line were suspended while emergency crews worked at the site. Videos on social media showed heavily armed officers boarding the train moments after it stopped.

As of late November 1, police said investigations were ongoing to establish the motive behind the assault, which has shaken the region and raised renewed concerns about passenger safety on Britain’s rail network.