The Sunderland man who saved Queen Victoria from an assassination attempt while on honeymoon

The amazing story of a Sunderland man - who helped to foil an attempt to kill the Queen - has been revealed.

Low Row man Roger Errington was on his honeymoon when he and his bride stopped to watch Queen Victoria getting off a train.

On honeymoon when he saw a Royal assassination attempt

The drama which unfolded has been shared with the Echo by Sunderland historian Derek Holcroft.

Roger ran a company which specialised in spiced animal feed and he wanted to show his new wife the royal cattle which was fed on his products.

Huge crowds had gathered at Windsor to watch the Royals including Mr Errington. The Queen got off the train but the day's drama was just beginning.

He was yards away when a pistol was fired

Roger was only yards away when Roderick Maclean raised a pistol and fired at the Monarch.

'Mr Errington rushed to the rescue, and was one of the persons who laid hands upon and arrested Maclean,' said a report in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette in March 1882.

Mr Errington was one of the people who gave evidence at the magisterial inquiry into the assassination attempt.

He turned to see a man point a gun

He said he was ten yards from the barrier when the Queen and two other ladies got off the train.

He turned to see a man inside the barrier with his hand straight out from his shoulder and pointing a pistol.

Maclean was tried for high treason and found not guilty but insane.

He spent the rest of his life in Broadmoor Asylum.

A Sunderland entrepreneur who became a medal winner

As for Mr Errington, he had become a nationally known businessman whose company - Victoria Cattle Spice Mills - produced feed for cattle and pigs to great renown.

In 1884, he won a medal at the Crystal Palace International Exhibition.

The Queen met him and bowed to him

And in 1889, he was at a show which Queen Victoria attended. She was inrtroduced to him. She bowed before moving on.

He died in 1891 aged 41 - just nine years after his heroics at Windsor.

Our thanks to Sunderland historian Derek Holcroft for sharing another great story of local people made good.

He has previously told us about Sunderland man Joseph Gillis who broke Nazi codes at Bletchley Park.

And about Bernard Rimmington, a Sunderland teacher who won high praise for his part in the development of radar.

If you have an amazing story of a relative who achieved greatness, share it by emailing [email protected]