Emergency service staff who responded to this morning's terror attack at Parsons Green tube station were offered free pizza by an Italian restaurant chef. Teo Catino and his family were evacuated after the homemade bomb exploded on the tube, as they live close to the station in London's west.
The 52-year-old has told the Metro: "I have owned a business and lived in Parsons Green for the past 25 years. My wife and daughter should have been on the tube this morning going to school.
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"Luckily they are on the bus coming back from France today so they are safe but my sons are both a little shaken."
Credit: PA
He managed to make 200 pizzas and handed them out to the police, ambulance, firefighters and other officials dealing with the incident. A nurse also told the newspaper: "This is perfect. We have a team here who have been here since 8am and we won't leave until about 8pm."
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It was a mammoth effort from Teo, but the men and women in uniform who received the pizza and free mineral water were very humbled and touched by the offer.
The Italian restaurant owner's gesture was one of many displays of generosity on the day, with cabbies on the night shift offering to work longer to give people in the area a free ride to safety. A spokesperson for taxi company Hayber Cars has told the Sun: "Nobody can move. All our drivers are out. We've called people back into work who were out on the roads at 2am this morning.
Credit: PA
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"We're offering free rides across the capital to help people out."
Nearly 30 people were injured when an explosive inside a bucket erupted, as a train on the District Line came into Parsons Green. Islamic State has reportedly taken credit for the incident, which has been described by UK authorities as a terror attack.
US President Donald Trump has spoken with Prime Minister Theresa May, expressing his solidarity with the UK. Mr Trump was criticised by some for issuing a tweet shortly after the explosion, blaming a 'loser terrorist' and suggesting the bomber was radicalised online and had been in the sights of Scotland Yard for years.
After Mrs May attended a security briefing, she told reporters: "I never think it is helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.
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"As I have just said the police and security services are working to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify all those responsible."
As a result of the attack, the UK's terror threat level has been changed from severe to critical, which will see about a thousand armed officers deployed across Britain. Mrs. May says: "This is a proportionate and sensible step which will provide extra reassurance and protection while the investigation progresses."
A huge manhunt is underway to find the person who brought the bomb onto the tube, with police and MI5 looking over the device as well as CCTV cameras.
Sources: Telegraph, Metro, Sun, BBC
Topics: UK
