Copyright cambridge-news
An airline has refused to refund the Huntingdon train attack hero for flights to a Nottingham Forest match in Austria. Ryanair has said it will not refund Stephen Crean's flights and suggested he should have taken our travel insurance instead. Mr Crean, 61, was one of the 10 people who were injured during an incident where a man attacked passengers on an LNER train service from Doncaster to London. Mr Crean, who travelling back from the Nottingham Forest match against Manchester United on Saturday, November 1, helped to fight off the attacker. Mr Crean had been planning to travel to Austria on Wednesday, November 5, to watch Forest against SK Sturm Graz but was unable to due to his injuries, with Ryanair refusing to refund the flights. Some Forest fans have said the treatment of Mr Crean has been "shocking" and will no longer use the airline to fly. Mr Crean has described how he grabbed the attacker's arm to protect people on the train with many people calling him a hero and saying he should be rewarded a George Cross medal. During the attack, Mr Crean's head was sliced and he suffered seven knife wounds. Kevin George, from the LGBT+ Trickies supporters group said: "He put his life on the line to protect other people and Ryanair's response is absolutely disgusting. "There are many Forest fans flying out to Austria today and using Ryanair to get there. Hopefully fans will start to boycott the airline over the fact they've refused to refund a hero who put himself on the line for others. "What he did - none of us knew what we would do unless we were in that position and actually stood up in the way he did. I'm not sure how many of us would have done that." One of Mr Crean's closest friends, Philip Chambers, has called out the airline for its response. He said: "It's shocking what Ryanair have done and Stephen is gutted he can't come. "I understand they have policies and I'd say I'm not surprised - but you think they might change their mind when you think of the impact of what Stephen has done. "They could at least reach out to him to privately given what's happened, but they can't even do that." A JustGiving page has been set up in Mr Crean's name with more than £50,000 being raised by Thursday, November 6, with people wanting to help financially support him while he recovers. Nottingham Forest FC has donated £10,000 to the page alongside boxing promoter Frank Warren and film producer and actor Jonny Owen.
