Catholic pilgrim hailed as hero for facing down Annecy knifeman

A 24-year-old Catholic pilgrim on a tour of France’s cathedrals has been hailed as a national hero after using his rucksack to take on the Syrian knifeman. The frenzied stabbing in a playground in Annecy left four small children, including a three-year-old British girl, fighting for their lives, along with two adults. On Friday, reports said that the British girl, whose first name is Ettie, was no longer in a critical condition. A 22-month Dutch boy was also reportedly no longer in a life-threatening condition. Two French cousins aged two and three were, however, reportedly not out of imminent danger. Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture. #annecy