Masked man attacks Orpington choir rehearsal

2 August 2012, 10:04

A masked attacker has broken into an Orpington choir rehearsal and reportedly assaulted several members before he was stopped by a passer-by.

A grieving husband reportedly wielding a machete broke into St. Barnabas Church in Orpington, Kent on Tuesday night and assaulted elderly members of the Velvet Harmony singing group.

Malcolm Holland, who has since been arrested, was said to be angry with God after the death of his wife from cancer. The choir barricaded themselves into the church hall after they heard windows being smashed from outside.

Holland managed to break in wearing a mask and wielding a machete and then proceeded to assault several members of the choir. Five people were injured in total. Stephen Izegbu, a careworker who lives across the road from the church, rushed in to wrestle Holland to the ground when he heard the noise from his house.

Izegbu later described the incident: "As I tried to pin him back he shouted, 'I am the devil and I will kill you all.' You could see in his eyes that he meant it." Apparently, Izegbu had only become a British citizen that same afternoon.