Police officer tells how he hid 200 people in cellar to save them from London Bridge terrorists

Inspector Jim Cole said he ‘grabbed hold of as many people as he could’ and herded them to safe place

Inspector Cole led people to large venue where he could set up a medic (Getty)

A police officer has explained how he helped hundreds of people hide in a pub basement during the London Bridge terror attacks, potentially saving many lives.

Inspector Jim Cole was one of the first officers on the scene after three men drove a truck into pedestrians and randomly stabbed people in bars around Borough Market on 3 June.

Inspector Cole was just about to finish his shift at Peckham police station when the attack happened after 10pm.

The father of three raced to Borough Market with his colleagues and was confronted with armed police and a victim with stab wound to the stomach.

“We had the situation of people coming running out of the market, they were in a state of panic – lots of screaming,” the officer of 18 years told BBC News.

”So I literally just grabbed hold of as many as we could and directed them into the basement of the bar.

“I felt that was as reasonably safe a place as we had at the moment, rather than roaming the streets.”

Inspector Cole said he also chose the large bar so he could set up a medic to treat victims.

The attackers had planned to rent a 7.5 tonne lorry but had failed to provide payment details for the vehicle, instead picking up a smaller rental van to carry out the attack.

They were wearing fake gas canisters on their body, to create panic, and carried long blades. They killed eight people.

The three attackers, Rachid Redouane, Khuram Butt and Youssef Zaghba, were shot and killed by police in a flurry of 50 bullets within eight minutes of the first call to emergency services.

“I spoke with the 200 frightened people in the basement and told them that there were armed officers outside, we were safe and we would evacuate them as soon as we could,” Inspector Cole said.

”I got a big round of applause. That was a really nice, unexpected moment. It was a nice touch.”

He added that he could hear his colleagues “in distress” over the radio as they called for ambulances. 48 people were injured and more than 20 of them had serious injuries.

”I’ve dealt with a lot of death and I’ve been to some pretty horrific scenes in my career, but nothing has ever been on that scale.

“It was the most challenging, most intense situation I've dealt with. It's going to stick with me for a long time.”

A British Transport Police officer, who was also first on the scene, was stabbed in the face by an attacker. The officer, who has not been named, thanked the public this week for their support.

“Like every police officer who responded, I was simply doing my job. I didn’t expect the level of love and well wishes I have received,” the officer said in a statement.

“I feel like I did what any other person would have done. I want to say sorry to the families that lost their loved ones. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more and I want you to know I did everything I could”.

NHS staff and victims were also praised for their hard work and bravery.

Sunday Express business editor Geoff Ho wrote about his ordeal after he was stabbed in the neck while trying to protect his friend and other people at the Black & Blue restaurant.

Geoff Ho was stabbed in the throat after he tried to protect a bouncer on the door of the Southwark Tavern (Geoff Ho/Facebook)

He described how the attackers were trying to break through the locked door, shouting at them to lie on the ground.

“I knew that if anyone did that, they’d be dead,” wrote Mr Ho. “I had to delay them, stall them any way I could.

”With my hands up, trying to look non-threatening, I stared back at them and said one word – No.“ He was then stabbed, and his friend helped him to create bandages and stem the bleeding.

Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the “barbaric” attacks and promised sweeping reforms including cyber security to combat growing extremism online.