Five victims of a knife-wielding maniac who rampaged through the streets of north London yesterday are fighting for their lives in hospital.

Enfield masonry expert Ernest Meads, 58, died of stab wounds after the apparently random attacks in Edmonton yesterday morning.

His wife and grown son and daughter now face Christmas without him.

A close family friend 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."

Five others were taken to hospital with serious injuries and are still clinging to life.

Witnesses described how a man drove through the streets stopping to attack victims chosen at random.

Reports say it was only after the intervention of an off duty policewoman that the man was captured.

Hundreds of officers flooded the area after a tip-off from the off-duty constable.

Ismail Dogan, a jobless 29-year-old with a history of mental illness, was arrested minutes after the attacks. Today he was charged with the murder of Mr Meads and five counts of attempted murder.

Mr Dogan, of Birkbeck Road in Tottenham, north London, will appear at Highbury Magistrates Court on Monday.

The attacks, which began at around 8.20am were described by Chief Superintendent Simon O'Brien as "horrendous".

Chief Supt O'Brien added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims."

The stabbings came just a day after Mahmut Fahri was knifed to death at his nearby store in Wood Green.

TIMETABLE OF TERROR
  • At 8.20am police were called to Edmonton Green after reports of a stabbing outside the train station. They found a 31-year-old man in the street who had been stabbed. He was taken by ambulance to hospital. His condition is described as serious.
  • At 08.50am in Gladstone Ave, N22 a 49-year-old man was found stabbed and was taken to hospital.
  • At 09.07am in Compton Crescent, N17, a 30-year-old woman was found with a stab wound and taken by ambulance to hospital.
  • At 09.11am in Ecclesbourne Gardens, Green Lanes, N13, a 50-year-old man was found to have been stabbed and taken by ambulance to hospital.
  • At 09.27am in Advent Way, Edmonton a 58-year-old man was found with stab wounds and taken to hospital, where he later died.
  • At 10:45am a 76-year-old man arrived at North Middlesex hospital with stab wounds. Police said he could have been attacked in Empire Avenue, N18. He had walked from Empire Avenue, where he was attacked at 9am, to the hospital. He is in a serious condition.