Manchester Victoria stabbing: Police officer among three injured in knife attack at train station

Eyewitness describes 'pure fear' after knifeman goes on rampage during New Year's Eve celebrations

Counterterrorism police are leading an investigation after a knifeman stabbed three people in Manchester’s Victoria Station during New Year’s Eve celebrations on Monday night.

Two commuters – a man and woman in their 50s - were taken to hospital with knife injuries and a British Transport Police officer was stabbed in the shoulder.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody.

One eyewitness said they heard the assailant shout “Allah” during the incident.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said the investigation was being led by counter terrorism police and officers were keeping an “open mind”.

He said: “Tonight’s events will have understandably worried people but I need to stress that the incident is not ongoing, a man is in custody and there is currently no intelligence to suggest that there is any wider threat at this time.”

Police stayed in the railway station – which serves the centre of the city as both a railway and Metrolink stop – after the attack, officials said. British Transport Police responded alongside Greater Manchester Police and the North West Ambulance Service.

Sam Clack, a BBC producer, was on a platform at Manchester Victoria railway station waiting for a tram when he witnessed the attack.

Mr Clack, 38, said: “I just heard this most blood curdling scream and looked down the platform.

“What it looked like was a guy in his 60s with a woman of similar age and another guy all dressed in black.

“It looked like they were having a fight but she was screaming in this blood curdling way.

“I saw police in high-viz come towards him.

“He came towards me. I looked down and saw he had a kitchen knife with a black handle with a good, 12in blade.

“It was just fear, pure fear.”

Police closed Victoria station after the attack, though the city’s fireworks display in Albert Square went ahead (REUTERS)

Mr Clack, on his way to catch a tram home, said police officers used a Taser and pepper spray before, “six or seven” officers jumped on the man.

He added that as police held the suspect down, he said: “As long as you keep bombing other countries this sort of shit is going to keep happening.”

BTP said they were called at 8.52pm to reports of man with a knife who has been detained.

Two members of the public have been taken to hospital with knife injuries and a BTP officer is being treated for a knife wound to the shoulder.

The incident comes on the busiest night of the year for the emergency services, with alcohol-fuelled violence expected to put a strain on police officers and paramedics.

As revellers see in the New Year, 999 operators are likely to experience a dramatic increase in the number of calls they receive.

In Greater Manchester, 16 per cent more 999 calls and 3 per cent more 101 calls are made on New Year’s Eve compared with an average Friday night, with a total of 3,787 made last year.

Superintendent Mark Kenny, who runs Greater Manchester Police’s call handling teams, said: “New Year’s Eve is always a busy night for us.

“We tend to see more emergencies including serious incidents being reported, with alcohol-fuelled violence being the largest demand.”

Six BT call centres handle all the 999 calls from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern England.

Ian Watson, BT’s 999 manager, said: “Our busiest period of the year is from about 9pm on New Year’s Eve to 3am on New Year’s morning when we receive almost half a day’s calls in just six hours, with a peak of up to 9,000 calls per hour.”

Police forces are also warning people to only dial 999 in a genuine emergency as hoax or nuisance calls can waste valuable time.

BT call centres have reported callers ringing up to complain “the off-licence has closed early” or ask: “What time does Sainsbury’s close?”

The Metropolitan Police are running a #ThinkBeforeYouDial campaign on Twitter designed to make people stop and think as to whether their call is necessary.

Jeremy Brown, head of the emergency operations centre at West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “At this time of year when our teams are dealing with a high volume of calls, we would urge people to think carefully before calling 999.”

Additional reporting by agencies