Hero who single-handedly fought the three machete-wielding terrorists with bare fists receives Learn to Run handbook in hospital

Hero who single-handedly fought the three machete-wielding terrorists with bare fists receives Learn to Run handbook in hospital

A hero footie fan told how he single-handedly fought the three machete-wielding jihadis with just his fists, while screaming: “F*** you, I’m Millwall!”.

 Roy Larner, 47, was with his friends in a pub when the terrorists burst in, attacking revellers with weapons and chanting “Islam, Islam!” and “This is for Allah”.

Roy fearlessly shouted back and fought the terrorists alone, giving other drinkers and staff ample time to escape. He was stabbed eight times before the jihadis fled the Black & Blue restaurant and bar. He has now been hailed the Lion of London Bridge, a nod to his club’s nickname, Lion.

He is fast recovering and has been moved out of intensive care. Seeing that he was out of danger, his friends sent him a present in hospital and it was a book with a title, “Learn to Run”. The book is a tongue-in-cheek recognition of the brave man’s refusal to hide or run from the terrorists.

He told The Sun from hospital: 

“They had these long knives and started shouting about Allah. Then it was, ‘Islam, Islam, Islam’. Like an idiot I shouted back at them. I thought, ‘I need to take the p*** out of these b******s’. I took a few steps towards them and said, ‘F*** you, I’m Millwall’. So they started attacking me. 

"I stood in front of them trying to fight them off. Everyone else ran to the back. I was on my own against all three of them, that’s why I got hurt so much. It was just me, trying to grab them with my bare hands and hold on. I was swinging. I got stabbed and sliced eight times. They got me in my head, chest and both hands. There was blood everywhere. They were saying, ‘Islam, Islam!’. I said again, ‘F*** you, I’m Millwall!’ It was the worst thing I could have done as they carried on attacking me. Luckily, none of the blows were straight at me or I’d be dead.”

Roy, of Peckham, South East London, described the chaos as the terrorists first came into Black & Blue. He said: 

“There was loads of noise. No one knew what was happening. Then the bouncers tried to shut the door. The terrorists were pushing against the doors to get in. Everyone inside was running around in panic. A few tried to get out the back and others hid under tables or behind counters. The men then smashed open the door where I was standing. The three of them stood together.”

After the terrorists were gunned down by police, Roy was taken to St Thomas’s Hospital in critical condition and had surgery to wounds on his head, fingers and chest. Doctors took him off the critical list on Sunday. His mother,  Phyllis Larner, 78, was so proud of him when she heard what her son and said that is who he typically is. She said he was never one to back down from a fight and would give as much blows as he got.

A petition has begun urging Roy to be honoured with a George Cross, Britain’s highest gallantry award for civilians.