Trains were unable to call at Hitchin train station tonight after reports a ‘drunken’ man had taken a machete or sword out of his bag, terrifying passengers.
National Rail confirmed that trains couldn’t access the station while emergency services dealt with the incident.
A witness claimed that the man was bald, dressed in a khaki army jacket and had a pair of crutches as he pulled out ‘an eight inch blade’ on the 20:36 train to London Kings Cross.
A train from Hitchin railway station (pictured) had to be stopped after a man allegedly pulled a machete or sword out of his bag
Student Jordan Kenny, 17, watched on as a number of passengers fled the carriage after the brandished the knife.
He told MailOnline: ‘I just got on the train at Hitchin station and a man was on the train drunk. He pulled a machete or sword out of his bag on the 20:36 train to London Kings Cross. The blade was at least eight inches long. The train was delayed and passengers panicked and left the carriage.
‘National Rail employees tricked the man into getting off by telling him he won’t get arrested if he leaves.
‘The man panicked after staff mentioned the police. He said he couldn’t be arrested again since he hadn’t been arrested in nine years and he started shouting “I’m not a terrorist”. He was very drunk.’
A number of tweets confirmed that there had been an incident on the train at Hitchin station with Stuart Alexander warning people to avoid the area
After the man left the train, he started using threatening language and screamed at the train.
Mr Kenny continued: ‘After he left the train, they closed the doors. Everybody was looking at him, and he got very angry. He told us to stop staring and he said he can be a very nasty man and do bad things to people.
‘[He was] dressed in a khaki army jacket. He was bald, late forties with crutches. He stated the knife was because he needed to protect himself in London as he hadn’t been there at night for a while.’
‘I was scared. A woman behind me gasped when we saw the knife. It was like the weapon that was used on Lee Rigby.’
National Rail confirmed on their Twitter account that emergency services were dealing with an incident
A number of Twitter posts also spoke about the man with the knife.
Stuart Alexander tweeted: ‘Drunk person with knife at Hitchin station. Avoid for now. Police here dealing with it.’
Paul Williams said: ‘What’s going on outside of Hitchin going north? Train stopped for an emergency apparently. Other trains going north still.
Alexander Griffin replied: ‘Man with a knife onboard. 7 Police cars outside the station.’
It was confirmed by National Rail who tweeted: ‘Trains are currently unable to call at Hitchin due to the emergency services dealing with an incident.’
MailOnline has contacted the British Transport Police for comment.
Paul Williams one of a number of Twitter users who noticed that something was going on at Hitchin station
Alexander Griffin, another witness, also said that a man with a knife was onboard a train, claiming that there were seven police cars on the scene