Man killed in knife attacks named

Ernest Meads was stabbed in Advent Way in Edmonton

A man killed during a spate of random knife attacks has been named.

Father-of-two Ernest Meads, 58, a masonry expert from Enfield, was one of six people stabbed across north London on Thursday morning.

The attacks were carried out by a man in a red car during an hour in a six-mile radius of Edmonton and Haringey, police said.

Detectives are continuing to question a 29-year-old man, who police say has a history of mental illness.

A family friend of married Mr Meads said: "There was a big family Christmas planned which is now ruined as any sort of celebration would be inappropriate.

"Our condolences go to all the other victim's families at this tragic time."

here was a big family Christmas planned which is now ruined as any sort of celebration would be inappropriate Family friend Police search for motive Witnesses tell of events Most mentally ill 'no threat'

The other five victims are said to be in stable but serious condition.

Enfield borough commander Ch Supt Simon O'Brien said the motivation for the attacks was not known.

He said: "There appears to be no link between the victims. They were also a cross-section in terms of ethnicity."

The first victim was a 29-year-old who was attacked outside Edmonton Green railway station.

An hour later Mr Meads - who later died at Whipps Cross Hospital - was found injured in Advent Way, Edmonton. A post-mortem examination confirmed he died of stab wounds.

Timeline: London stabbings

A 54-year-old delivery worker said the wounded man stumbled into his company's reception office covered in blood.

"We lifted up his jumper and put cotton wool down until it was soaked in blood, then we turned him over and he had another wound in his back," he said.

"I think he was stabbed again as he was trying to get away."

In between two men, aged 49 and 30, and a 30-year-old woman had also been stabbed and were taken to North Middlesex hospital.

The sixth victim, a 76-year-old man, walked into the same hospital later.

The first victim was stabbed outside a railway station

A suspect was arrested by unarmed officers as he got out of a Hyundai near his home in Tottenham, north London. A knife was also recovered.

Ch Supt O'Brien added: "We could be dealing with a person who has mental illness, certainly the person in custody has a history of mental illness."

He said 100 police officers were involved in the case.

"It seems the man was getting out of his vehicle, picking people at random, stabbing them and then getting back in his vehicle," he said.

Emergency surgery

Police said they were first called out to the area at 0820 GMT to reports of a stabbing outside Edmonton Green train station and then attended four other incidents over the next hour.

A spokeswoman for the North Middlesex Hospital in Edmonton said the female victim had been transferred to the London Heart Hospital.

Three of the surviving male victims had undergone emergency surgery.

Police have appealed for any witnesses to contact the incident room on 020 8345 1585.