A knifeman shouting 'Allah' has been arrested after stabbing three people in a brutal frenzy in Manchester Victoria station this evening.
Three people were stabbed in the attack at the city center transport hub, including one British Transport Police officer and a man and a woman, both in their 50s, who are currently receiving treatment in hospital.
The attacker was said to have been armed with a 'long kitchen knife' and was pepper sprayed and tasered before being arrested by police officers, who were quickly on the scene.
BBC journalist Sam Clack who came within touching distance of the attacker, said he heard the man shout 'Allah' as he launched the terrifying frenzy.
Video from the scene of the incident showed several officers restraining the attacker in the station
A police officer (right) could be seen bending down to pick up what appears to be a long knife and put it in an evidence bag as the attacker is restrained just a few feet away
Police confirmed on Monday evening the man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
In an interview with BBC News in the immediate aftermath of the incident, Mr Clack said: 'It was pretty scary. It was just me on the platform and as I was standing there I heard the most blood-curdling scream I had ever heard from a woman nearby.
'It looked like there was a fight going on. I heard the guy starting 'Allah' distinctly. I didn't hear the rest of the sentence.'
'Police very quickly were on the platform and the guy started backing up towards me. And he got to within seven or eight feet of me and was looking around very skittish.
'I looked down and in his hand I saw that the man had a kitchen knife with a black handle and a long 12-inch blade.'
According to Mr Clack, one of the police officers then tried to taser the attacker, but missed, before another officer pepper sprayed the man and 'six or seven policemen' took him to the ground.
Then Mr Clack said as he tried to walk past and get away the attacker said: 'As long as you keep bombing other countries this sort of s**t is going to keep happening.'
Mr Clack, who had been out for drinks with friends earlier in the evening, said the victims of the attack were a man in his 60s, who was knifed in the head and the back, and a woman.
A discharged taser pictured on the platform alongside police restrained the suspect on Friday evening
An elderly man and a woman were pictured receiving treatment after the incident on Monday evening
Police officers were quickly on the scene and one witness said he heard the knifeman shout 'Allah'
He said there was blood 'splattered' on the platform after the incident and the man's shirt was 'covered in blood'.
A British Transport Police spokesperson said the woman has injuries to her face and abdomen and the man has injuries to his abdomen, while a BTP officer has a stab wound in his shoulder - all of which are described as 'serious but not life-threatening'.
Another eyewitness, named only as Rebecca, told Mirror Online: 'I heard the most bloodcurdling scream I've ever heard and turned to see everyone running towards me.
'Some guy told me to run. 'Keep running' was all he kept saying - 'just keep running'. I jumped off the tram track and started to run down the tram lines and hid behind some concrete slabs under one of the arches.
The Metrolink has been cordoned off and the station is currently shut down while police investigate the scene.
The attack took place just a few hundred meters away from the Manchester Arena, scene of the deadly bombing in May 2017 which killed 23 revellers at an Ariana Grande concert.
British Transport Police said in a statement: 'Officers are attending Manchester Victoria station following reports of a man wielding a knife. We received the call at 8.52pm on Monday, 31 December.
'A man has been detained and two members of the public, a man and a woman have been taken to hospital with knife injuries.
'A BTP officer is also receiving treatment for a stab wound to the shoulder. British Transport Police remain at the scene along with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and the North West Ambulance Service.'
Greater Manchester Police tweeted:
