Roy Larner, 47, was with pals when attackers burst into pub with 12in blades and chanting 'Islam, Islam'
A HERO footie fan told last night how he battled the three machete jihadis with just his fists, snarling: “F*** you, I’m Millwall!”
Roy Larner, 47, was with pals in a pub when they burst in, attacking revellers with 12in blades and chanting “Islam, Islam!” and “This is for Allah”.
He has now been hailed the Lion of London Bridge, a nod to his club’s Lions nickname - with his friends since delivering him a tongue in cheek present of a "Learn to Run" book - a nod to the brave man's refusal to hide from the knife-wielding terrorists.
Roy was knifed eight times before the jihadis fled the Black & Blue restaurant and bar.
He fearlessly shouted back and fought them single-handedly — saving countless lives as he gave staff and other drinkers time to escape.
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.”
His selfless bravery was no shock to mum Phyllis Larner, 78.
She said: “He’s fearless, my son. He’ll give as good as he gets.
“He’s quite nippy and lippy and wouldn’t back down from a fight.
“He wouldn’t care who it was or if they had a knife or gun.”
Roy told how he braved the attackers’ blades to stop them massacring other drinkers.
He said: “All three were on me. I couldn’t hold them back. Two got past me and I was one-on-one.
“He kept slashing and hacking away at me. They were stabbing and slashing at me as I waved my arms for 20 or 30 seconds.”
Roy, of Peckham, South East London, also described the chaos as the terrorists first descended on 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 trio’s rampage at the venue they left to attack neighbouring pubs, until police marksmen gunned them down.
Roy, who fearlessly followed them outside, recalled: “They ran out of the pub and legged it.
“I went outside and saw them head towards The Wheatsheaf pub.
“Then from nowhere I heard gunshots and saw all three go down.
“I didn’t think of my safety at the time. I’d had four or five pints — nothing major.
“I can handle myself. But I was out with an old person and it was out of order.
“It wasn’t until I was in a police car that I realised I was in a bad way. I’d been sliced up all over.”
He 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.
Roy said: “I’m a bit better. They reckon that I might be in here a week.”
And he added modestly about his fearless exploits: “I just did what I had to do.”
Mum Phyllis learned of her son’s heroism the next day when his partner Tracey Wicks rang.
Phyllis said: “I got the call on Sunday morning at about 7.30am.
“I wasn’t shocked, to be honest. He wouldn’t care who fronts him up. He says what he has to say and is not scared of anyone.
“He must have been trying to help friends or something.
The men with knives must have come into the pub and started on him and he would have fronted them up.
“But he’s had surgery and is now in intensive care.”
Tracey and their daughter Freya, 14, were due to visit him yesterday.
Well-wishers have pledged more than £5,000 for the hero on a page of the Just Giving donations website.
And a petition has begun urging him to be honoured with a George Cross, Britain’s highest gallantry award for civilians.
Pal Archie Webber-Brown wrote as he launched it: “Roy Larner charged at the terrorists on London Bridge in order to try to stop them and help others escape.
“He ended up getting himself stabbed multiple times, showing great courage and preparing his body for the ultimate self-sacrifice to help others.
“He should be acknowledged and rewarded for his actions.”
The signatures will be sent to his Labour MP Neil Coyle.
Other friends of the hero also told of their immense pride.
Simon Willoughby wrote on Facebook: “This man’s name is Roy Larner, a friend of mine for the past 20-odd years.
“When the terrorists attacked, he went and stuck it to them and saved a person’s life.
“In doing so he got stabbed in the head, neck, back, front and cut all his fingers. At present he’s in intensive care. #Legend.”
Another friend Louise Ann Aylott wrote: "Pleased to let you know Roy is out of intensive care and doing well. Roy is a Millwall fan that confronted the teriorists in London in order to save lives.
"An absolute legend."
Calling for Roy to get an MBE, he added: “Share this as much as possible as this is what we should be reading about, not muggy, delusional fanatics! #roylarnermbe.”
Jason Brown wrote: “My mate Roy Larner. Legend and hero. Hoping for a full recovery, mate.”
Jae Nicol added: “Roy is a family friend and so brave for risking his life to save another. This is awful.”
