Witnesses describe terrifying moment attacker stabbed three people to death inside Reading park

A witness has described the terrifying moment a man stabbed three people to death in a frenzied attack at a park in Reading.

Another three people were seriously injured in the incident at Forbury Gardens in the Berkshire town’s centre on Saturday evening.

A 25-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and is currently in custody. He has been named as Libyan national Khairi Saadallah.

Lawrence Wort, 20, a personal trainer from Chippenham, said the attacker chased him after the initial rampage in which three people were attacked.

“There was a group of about eight to 10 middle-aged men drinking in a circle,” he told BBC News.

“Suddenly this one lone man darted off towards them, stabbed one just once, went around to the next person and stabbed them and managed to get three of them before anyone realised and ran away.

“After those three he turned around to look for another group. He locked eyes on me and the person I was with and started coming towards us.

“We turned and ran and when he realised he wasn’t going to be able to catch up with us he turned back around and went for another group that was facing away from the first group so hadn’t quite reacted yet. He stabbed one of them in the back of the neck before they realised and ran away.”

Other witnesses said they initially believed the attacker was playing “duck duck goose” during the violent rampage - a children’s game where participants sit in a circle while someone taps them on the head.

One man, Dan, told The Mirror: "I thought they were playing duck duck goose and thought someone had been sick, we realised it was blood spraying out."

He added: "It was strange, not like you see in films, there was no screaming.

"We were running by people dancing in groups, they hadn't seen what happened."

Prime minister Boris Johnson described the attack as “appalling” in a tweet on Saturday.

He tweeted: "My thoughts are with all of those affected by the appalling incident in Reading and my thanks to the emergency services on the scene."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer offered his thanks to the emergency services attending the scene while echoing Mr Malthouse's request to help the police with their investigation.

He tweeted: "Very concerning reports from Reading. Thank you to the police and other emergency service personnel responding. Please follow the advice of the @PoliceChiefs."