Knifeman 'chases terrified bystanders after attacking man on board a train'

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A knifeman chased and threatened terrified bystanders after stabbing a passenger on a train, witnesses said.

Police swarmed on Forest Hill station after the "horrific" attack at about lunchtime. 

Passengers fled the station screaming with terror after the armed man reportedly shouted threats at people on the scene in south London.

Witnesses said there was a huge presence of emergency services at the station as they warned people to avoid the area as the attacker was "ranting on the streets".

Juliette Cooper, 39, was jogging near the station when she heard screams.

She said: “I spoke to my daughter’s friend who was on the train and she said a man with a knife was going around and stabbing people

“She said everyone literally ran off the train at Forest Hill where he got off as well.

“He had a wild look in his eye."

Another woman said said dozens of passengers fled the station as she arrived at Forest Hill at around 1.30pm.

She told the Standard: “Around 30 people were running out of the station screaming. There was a guy there pacing around and shouting ‘I’ll take everyone on’.

“I asked people what had happened and they said he had stabbed someone with a  knife. I called the police."

A British Transport Police spokeswoman confirmed officers were called at 1.18pm to reports of a serious assault and that a man had been arrested. 

A statement read: "One person has been arrested on suspicion of GBH following the incident and is currently in police custody.

"One man was treated by ambulance staff at the scene and is currently en route to hospital."

Six people injured after Ferrari 'mounts pavement' and crashes in Battersea

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Six people have been rushed to hospital after a Ferrarimounted the pavement and crashed in south-west London.

Police were called to the scene of the crash at 10.29am on Monday after reports a car had hit a group of teenagers on Battersea Park Road.

Pictures from the scene showed a red Ferrari with its windscreen cracked on one side and damage to one of its headlights.

Witnesses described the "horrible" scene after reports a car hit a group of pedestrians, sending one flying over railings and through the back window of a car on a street below.

One resident who was woken up by the crash said: "I heard a boom and then just people screaming and crying.

"I got up to take a look and people were going crazy. 

"There were people everywhere. Somebody I think fell over the wall and people were coming down to help. They all looked young."

Another passerby, who gave her name only as Hannah and who works close to the scene of the crash, told the Standard: "We could tell it was obviously pretty serious by the amount of ambulances - about six - that were on the road, a police truck and a number of police cars.

"I just hope that everyone involved is okay, such a horrible thing to happen right before Christmas."

Metropolitan police officers, including a horse unit, London Air Ambulance and London Ambulance Service rushed to Battersea Park Road just before 10.30am on Monday.

A spokesman for the Met Police said: “We were called to reports of a car in collision with pedestrians in Battersea Park Road.

"Six people have been injured and are being treated at the scene by paramedics. We await an update on their condition but injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

"The driver stopped at the scene. Enquiries continue."

An LAS spokeswoman added: “We were called at 10:28am to reports of a road traffic collision near Kirtling Street at the junction with Battersea Park Road.

“We sent a paramedic on a motorcycle, four ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic and an incident response officer to the scene alongside our hazardous area response team. 

"London’s Air Ambulance was also dispatched.

“We treated six patients at the scene and took them to hospital.”

Campaigners vow to BLOCK £50m Holocaust memorial near Parliament

Political reporter(wp/es):

Campaigners have pledged to block a £50 million national Holocaust memorial from being built next to Parliament.

Skyline Campaign activists revealed talks had taken place with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation over an idea to shift the planned monument and learning centre from Victoria Tower Gardens.

The group, which fights to prevent development of “badly designed tall buildings” in London, claim the plans are unsuitable for one of the capital’s most treasured spots.

Barbara Weiss, from the Skyline Campaign, said: “This is nothing against a memorial or learning centre to educate people about the Holocaust, it is about protecting one of London’s most beautiful assets.

“If it was a school or art gallery our position would be the same. Parks should not be built on. 

“We have had civilised conversations with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and we are trying to dissuade them.

“There are a growing number of people who are backing us and in my experience if you get enough traction people do tend to listen.”

Campaigners said better options are available for the tribute and urged authorities to consider College Green behind Westminster Abbey as an alternative.

An online petition calling for a stop to any building work in Victoria Tower Gardens passed 150 signatures since it was launched by the group two weeks ago. 

Campaigners previously challenged construction of the Paddington Pole, a 72-storey skyscraper proposed next to the station, which was eventually withdrawn.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron revealed in January a national memorial would be built next to Parliament by the end of next year.

He said the monument would show the importance Britain placed on preserving memory of the Holocaust and added it would stand beside Parliament as a “statement of British values”.

In September, the Government invited designers and architects from across the world to submit blueprints for the memorial and learning centre.

The winning designs are set to be exhibited in London in January before an overall winner is announced next summer.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, said: "Ensuring that the memory and the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten lies at the heart of Britain’s values as a nation and this important new national landmark will stand as a permanent reminder of our commitment as a country to stand against prejudice and hatred in all its forms.

"I am delighted we have secured a site at the heart of our democracy and to have such strong cross-party support for the memorial and the learning centre which will accompany it. 

"They will be a logical and harmonious addition to the space, joining the existing memorials which can be viewed as a physical representation of the United Kingdom’s conscience and values."

British Airways flight crew held-up at gunpoint

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A British Airways flight crew were held-up at gunpoint by an armed robber in the Brazilian city of Rio.

Air steward Michael Nicholas, 45, said he was walking back to a hotel from a barbecue with 10 other colleagues when the gunman pounced.

The attacker held the gun against one of the crew’s face before forcing him and his son to hand over their phones and money, the Sun reported.

Describing the ordeal on his Facebook page, Mr Nicholas wrote: "One of our crew had a gun held to his face while his son and him were robbed.

“Half of us were unaware anything was going on behind us until we heard the commotion. Luckily, the son gave the robber his phone and money and they left.

“We are all safe and well but a little shaken. The local police refused to attend the hotel and BA security are on the case and dealing with this.”

Mr Nicholas, from Preston Candover, Hampshire, urged fellow crew members to take care if they ventured out of the hotel in Rio after dark and travel by taxi.

The Foreign Office website advises travellers to Brazil to hand over any valuables if threatened and not to resist attackers as they may be armed or under the influence of drugs.

A BA spokesman told the Sun: “We are supporting our crew and are thankful that they weren’t harmed.

“We take the safety of our pilots and cabin crew very seriously and issue them with information and advice for all the destinations to which we fly – specifying any extra precautions that should be taken in particular cities.

"We will be reiterating our advice to crew operating to Rio de Janeiro, including that they should remain vigilant when outside the hotel. We will now also be advising that they book taxis when travelling around the city.”

Boy, 4, dies after being hit by car

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A four-year-old boy has died after he was hit by a car outside a leisure centre. 

The child was struck by the vehicle outside a sports centre in Oxfordshire on Saturday morning. 

Emergency services raced to the scene after the crash in Oxford Road, Thame at about 10.25am.

The child died on his way to hospital, Thames Valley Police said.

His next of kin have been informed.

Senior Investigating officer Sergeant Jack Hawkins of Roads Policing based at Abingdon police station said: “We are investigating the fatal collision and appealing for witnesses. 

“Please can anyone with information which could assist enquiries contact police.

“The family of the deceased are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers at this very difficult time.”

European negotiators to offer Brits option to retain EU status after Brexit

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Plans to allow UK nationals to retain their EU citizenship after Brexit will form part of the European Parliament's negotiating position, it has been revealed.

The "associate citizenship" status would give those who adopt it the right of freedom of movement and residence throughout the EU as well as the right to vote for a representative in the European Parliament.

It would be made available to nationals of former member states of the EU who "feel and wish to be part of the European project".

The proposal was put forward last month by Luxembourg MEP Charles Goerens for inclusion in a future EU treaty.

But following Wednesday's House of Commons vote backing Theresa May's plan to trigger withdrawal talks by the end of March, Mr Goerens agreed with the European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt that it should be brought forward more quickly.

Mr Verhofstadt told a meeting of the Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee in Brussels on Thursday that he would ensure associate citizenship status was "on the table" for the withdrawal talks under Article 50 of the EU Treaties.

"Some things cannot wait until treaty change," said Mr Verhofstadt.

"Therefore, the ability to keep European citizenship for those who risk losing it will be on the table of the upcoming Brexit negotiations and will be discussed at the moment of the Parliament's resolution, right after the triggering of Article 50 in March."

Mr Goerens said that Wednesday's vote had made the prospect of Article 50 being invoked "very real indeed".

He had therefore agreed with Mr Verhofstadt that "this has become a very important issue that cannot await treaty change - as was my intention when I first tabled my amendment - since this might take years".

The liberal MEP continued: "The European Parliament will define its position on the Brexit agreement through a resolution during spring 2017.

“This seems to be the best opportunity to give Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt the possibility to enforce the Associate EU Citizenship."

Reacting to the news, Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder told the Independent: “The option of being able to retain EU citizenship offers a glimmer of hope for the millions of British people devastated by the referendum result.

“Everyone who supports this should write to MEPs and tell them how passionately they feel about maintaining their rights as EU citizens, including the ability to live, study and work abroad."

Young man shot dead in Kilburn while walking 'with relatives'

Pic: Yasir
Crime reporter(wp/es):

A young man died after being gunned down in front of horrified shoppers in Kilburn as he crossed a busy high street.

Witnesses described how the victim, aged in his early 20s, staggered to the pavement and collapsed outside a cafe after being shot in the stomach yesterday.

Police sealed off a 200 yard stretch of Kilburn High Road as paramedics battled to save his life for 20 minutes, while scores of armed officers swarmed surrounding streets as they hunted the gunmen who were seen to flee down a side road into a housing estate. 

The victim, named locally as Yasir, was said to have been accompanied by an older woman and a younger boy - thought to be relatives - when he was struck by a single shot.

One witness, takeaway worker Yosif, 27, said there was a single “loud bang”.

He said: “I assumed he’d been hit by a car because he looked disorientated and was wobbling. 

“He was with an older woman and a younger boy. They were crying around his body, utterly distraught.”

A friend of the victim said he had been trying to turn his life around after being stabbed in a separate violent incident in Kilburn last year.

Bruno Tampo, 22, who runs a charity mentoring young people into work, said: “He got stabbed last year. He’d just recovered from that and I think he’d just moved in to a new place.

“When I found out he’d been shot I crumbled.

“Yasir had such a good heart. It’s crazy what happened to him. He was a good friend.”

A spokesman for the Met said detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating, and no-one had yet been arrested.

The killing comes three days after trainee gas engineer Salim Coulter, 24, was shot dead as he climbed into the passenger seat of a friend’s car in Fulham, four miles away.

Police said the gunman was “lying in wait” for Mr Coulter outside Jerky’s Jamaican restaurant in Walham Grove before blasting him in the head at close range.