THE Irish mum of a man being hailed a hero for his actions during the London Bridge terror attack has paid tribute to her “fearless” son.
Phyllis Larner’s son, Roy, was stabbed eight times by the London Bridge attackers as he attempted to fight them off on Saturday night.
Mr Larner, 47, was cut on his head, neck, chest and hands after he confronted the terrorists, now named as Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba.
The Millwall fan has been hailed a hero after he shouted “F*** you, I’m Millwall” as he charged into the attackers in the Black & Blue restaurant and bar in Borough Market.
A crowdfund set up for Mr Larner, who is being treated at St Thomas’ Hospital in Lambeth, has now raised over £30,000.
A petition has also been set up for Roy to be awarded the George Cross for his heroic actions.
If anyone knows Roy Larner #londonbridgelion I'd like to pay for his season ticket next year if he doesn't have one already
— Millwall Wacker (@WackerMillwall) June 6, 2017
Mr Larner's mother Phyllis, who lives in Peckham but is originally from Co. Sligo, said she wasn’t at all surprised to hear that he had stepped up to confront the terrorists as they attacked members of the general public with knives.
“Well I said ‘that’s Roy’. If anyone has a go at him he just has a go back whether he gets the worst of it or not,” Phyllis, 78, told ITV Evening News.
"That's just how he is. Roy is a Millwall fan, what do you expect? He'll stand up to anybody."
I don't think I've ever seen so much decent publicity about Millwall fans in my life. Roy Larner you magnificent man!
— Stephen Jones (@SPJ91) June 6, 2017
Mrs Larner, who is a member of the Southwark Irish Pensioners, said she has four sons but that Roy is the loudest of the bunch.
“He doesn't care who it is, he says what he has to say. He's not scared of anyone. He's fearless, is Roy," she said.
“Even if he had died at least we could say he stood up and did the right thing. I just feel terrible for those families who have lost people.”
Paying tribute to Roy on Good Morning Britain, Piers Morgan said: "Roy Larner, Millwall fans, today I like you.
Roy Larner take a bow! Absolute hero taking stab wounds and slashes to save families in a restaurant at weekend. Good luck on recovery SIR!
— Jay P (@JayParker88) June 7, 2017
"He got up, took them on single-handedly, saving countless lives, got stabbed eight times.
"Millwall fans get a very bad rack, a lot of it very deserved, but there are times when you really want a lot of Millwall fans - and that was one of them."
Eight people died in the attack at London Bridge on Saturday night, which left a further 48 people injured.
One of the attackers who died at the scene was found in possession of Irish identification.
