'I came face-to-face with train knifeman and I couldn't believe what he said'
Dayna Arnold, 48, was on the London-bound LNER Azuma with her partner, site manager Andy Gray, 37, but within minutes saw the horror unfold
A project manager told how she begged the train knifeman to spare her life, before he told her: "The Devil is not going to win."
Dayna Arnold, 48, boarded the London-bound LNER Azuma with her partner, site manager Andy Gray, 37, but within minutes witnessed the terrifying attack unfold. The pair were seated in Coach J at the opposite end of the carriage from the attacker when he launched the eight-minute rampage which has left two people battling for their lives.
She said she became separated from Andy as passengers fled for their lives and when she tumbled to the floor she pleaded "please don't" as he loomed over her wielding a 6ins kitchen knife.
Dayna said today: "I was running and when I looked back I saw the knifeman running after me. I fell down and I just said, 'Please don't kill me'. Something shifted in his face and he just carried on. He said: 'The devil is not going to win.'".
She added: "We just feel very lucky today. If we had been sat at the other end of the carriage, we'd might not be here."
Andy - still wearing the blood-spattered knitted jumper - today said that he first witnessed the violent attack just minutes after departing from Peterborough station.
He said: "We were on the same carriage. Within about five minutes we just heard the panic and commotion in people's voices.
"I didn't see him but I saw the knife moving, plunging. I pushed Dayna but we were seperated. There was this young lad who was abotu 19 or 20.
"He had gashes on his arm and a severe puncture under his arm. There was a lot of blood coming out of him. He said, 'I've been stabbed, please help me'. It looked like an artery had been hit. I took off my belt and made a tourniquet. He was saying, 'Please call my dad, I don't want to die'."
Dayna and Andy made a swift exit from the station and were kindly offered a free room at a local pub. Today they braved a return to Huntingdon station for their journey to Milton Keynes.
Andy revealed: "I still have [the victim's] blood on my jumper. I heard there were two people critical so I hope we saved his life."