Trains in Milton Keynes grind to a halt in suspected terror scare

Hundreds of travellers were stranded at CMK station’s concourse as the Virgin train was stopped for a dozen police officers to leap on board, search the suspect and scour the carriages.

The informant, in an exclusive interview with the Citizen, told how he acted on the ‘see it, say it, sorted’ advice of the Department for Transport’s anti-terror campaign.

“I was sitting in coach B and opposite me was a man who was making a phone call in a manner that was clearly agitated,” said the 44-year-old banker who lives in MK.

“He was turning away from me, but I could still hear his conversation.

“He was saying how police had raided his house, and he was on his way to collect his property before meeting up with his brothers.”

The man was in his 20s, of Asian descent, had a full beard and was wearing a black coat that came down to his knees.

“You couldn’t see if he was hiding anything under the coat.

“I thought it was suspicious enough to alert a guard on the train,” said the witness.

Minutes later, with the excuse of an “obstruction on the line” the train stopped and police swarmed the coach.

The entire station was closed for 40 minutes.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “We were called at 3:07pm after reports of a suspicious person.

“The train was met by police at MK Central. Following a search, he was allowed to go on his way. No arrests were made.”

The Euston to Edinburgh train stopped at CMK at 3.30pm. It remained there for 40 minutes for a thorough search by police and transport officers.

Hundreds of passengers were herded for 40 minutes behind a cordon in CMK concourse, unaware of the real reason their trains were delayed.

Coincidentally there were more delays that afternoon becasue a TRAMPOLINE blew onto the line near Leighton Buzzard. This was unconnected to the suspected terrorist incident.