Staff describe terror as rioters attack station

The Royal Station Hotel next to the railway station was targeted during the violence on 3 August

Staff at Hull railway station have spoken of the terrifying moments rioters threw missiles at the building and tried to ram the doors.

Police officers were attacked, shops were looted and a neighbouring hotel housing asylum seekers was targeted during the violence on 3 August.

Matthew Cooper, from TransPennine Express, said: "It was extremely distressing the amount of projectiles that was actually thrown towards the windows."

The city's first three rioters were sentenced on Friday at Hull Crown Court, which heard the cancellation of services and eventual temporary closure of the station cost the rail operator £13,664.

Matthew Cooper said rioters hurled "absolutely anything they could get their hands on"

Mr Cooper, a customer service supervisor based at the station, said he and four other staff members "had to physically keep one of the doors closed" to prevent rioters surging onto the concourse and platforms.

"They were trying to get through the door, trying to gain entry to open it all whilst throwing projectiles, breaking windows and breaking the locks to the doors."

He said rioters used "absolutely anything they could get their hands on - rocks and glass bottles" to hurl at the building.

Adam Shone, an area manager, described it as a "very frightening time for our team".

"Within about half an hour of my arrival at the station, the protest had become quite violent and there were missiles being thrown at the Royal Station Hotel.

"We did encounter missiles being thrown at the station and unfortunately did sustain a bit of damage to our station as well."

Adam Shone described it as "very frightening"

Mr Cooper praised officers from British Transport Police (BTP) and Humberside Police for their efforts to keep civilians safe and described their work on the day as "absolutely phenomenal".

"They were able to contain the situation and prevent people getting into the station," said Mr Cooper, who previously worked for BTP.

Echoing his praise was transport secretary Louise Haigh during a visit to Hull on Monday.

"I'm here to express my enormous gratitude and admiration for their bravery and to thank them for their ongoing role in dealing with the tensions in the community here," she said.

"I'm a former special constable myself so I know a little bit of what they've been through and it's extraordinary, the bravery and the public service that they demonstrated on the front line."

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh praised police officers for "their bravery"