The Whisperer

Editor Stan Szecowka’s eldest son, Louis, was caught up in the terror attack which caused flash burn injuries to 30 people when a homemade bomb partially-detonated on a London District Line train at Parsons Green.

Louis, 27, general manager of the soon-to-open Bridge Theatre, the English capital’s brand new theatre at London Bridge, was commuting to work when the incident happened on Friday morning.

A twist of fate made him board a different carriage than normal. “Fortunately no one was seriously hurt this time, which is amazing if it had gone off properly it would have been a different story. If the train hadn’t just turned up when I got to the platform I would have been in the rear carriage where the blast happened. I always walk to the end as I can then go straight out of the station at Westminster, so I was very lucky I didn’t have the time.

“It was all very confusing but the police were amazing and we were able to get out of the area very quickly.”

Friday’s device reportedly contained an explosive and nails. There were fears the number of those hurt could have been much higher had the bomb, which was concealed within a supermarket carrier bag, fully exploded. It is not yet known whether the device, which was reportedly fixed with a timer, went off at its intended target or whether it was intended to go off further into central London.

The train, which was bound for Edgware Road, was just pulling into the station in south-west London when the device detonated in the rear carriage.

The Islamic State group has said it was behind the bomb. An 18-year-old has been arrested in the port town of Dover and police also raided a foster carer’s home where he had been living in London. A 21-year-old man is also helping police with their enquiries. Investigations are continuing.