Four fearless British Transport Police officers who took down a knife-wielding terrorist have been nominated for a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award.
The story of the courageous group, who mayor Andy Burnham said the city of Manchester was “indebted” to, is more than worthy of inclusion on the shortlist of four for the awards' Emergency Services honour.
The show, in partnership with TSB, will be broadcast on ITV on November 4 at 8pm.
Ahead of the big day, Matt Roper hears how the officers bravely ran towards the danger as panic-stricken crowds fled.
Four British Transport Police officers were patrolling Manchester’s Victoria railway station on a busy New Year’s Eve when they heard terrifying screams from a nearby tram platform.
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Mahdi Mohamud, 26, had launched a frenzied attack on commuters, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he attacked one couple from behind, stabbing the man repeatedly in the back, shoulders and head and slashing the woman across her face.
As panic-stricken crowds fled, the officers bravely ran towards the danger, putting their lives on the line as they formed a barrier between him and members of the public.
Sgt Lee Valentine, 33, remembers: “It was a scream I’d never really heard before. Seeing what had happened, and seeing a bloke there brandishing a knife, dancing round, lunging towards people instinct took over.”
PC Ashleigh Williams recalls: “When I saw that knife I knew that we needed to get the couple away from that male. Me and Marsha did that by creating almost a barrier between the two.”
Sgt Valentine was stabbed in the shoulder before the knifeman was wrestled to the ground and arrested by himself, PC Williams, PC Marsha Selby and PC Tom Wright.
Sgt Valentine says: “We all stood our ground he just charged towards me with the knife in his hand like a dagger. He jumped quite high in the air and landed on me with the knife.”
Mohamud later pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life and detailed at a secure mental hospital.
Det Supt Will Chatteron, Head of Investigations for Counter Terrorism for the North West, said: “If the police officers hadn’t been able to respond so quickly then without doubt the injuries would have been a lot lot worse.”
And Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the city was “indebted” to them: “On behalf of the people of Greater Manchester a huge thank you to those brave officers."
- The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, in partnership with TSB, will be shown on ITV on November 4, at 8pm.
