London Bridge tusk hero breaks silence

● Civil servant describes how he fought off terrorist on killing spree

A civil servant has described how he fought off a terrorist on London Bridge with a narwhal tusk after the attacker ran at members of the public with knives “raised above his head”.

Darryn Frost has spoken for the first time about how he grabbed the artefact from the wall in Fishmongers’ Hall as Usman Khan went on a killing spree on 29 November during a prisoner rehabilitation programme.

Khan, armed with two knives and wearing a fake suicide vest, killed Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt in the attack.

Harrowing footage shows Mr Frost and other members of the public heroically fending off Khan as they moved on to London Bridge – but until now his identity has remained a mystery.

The 38-year-old, from London, can be seen pinning Khan to the ground and is then pulled away by a police officer before the terrorist is shot dead seconds later.

The South African, who has lived in the UK for 14 years and works in the Ministry of Justice communications department, came forward to give his account of the “terrible day” in a bid to urge people to unite against terrorism and raise money for the victims’ families.

Mr Frost said he was attending the event with colleagues but ran to help when he heard a commotion downstairs.

He said: “When we heard the noise from the floor below, a few of us rushed to the scene.

“I took a narwhal tusk from the wall and used it to defend myself and others from the attacker.

“Another man was holding the attacker at bay with a wooden chair. I ran down the stairs, stood next to the man with the chair, and the two of us confronted the attacker.

“He had knives in both hands and, upon seeing me with the narwhal tusk, pointed at his midriff. He turned and spoke to me, then indicated he had an explosive device around his waist.

“At this point, the man next to me threw his chair at the attacker, who then started running towards him with knives raised above his head.”

Mr Frost passed the tusk to his unarmed comrade before racing back upstairs to find another to use.

When he returned, he found the first tusk “shattered across the floor” and saw people fleeing the building.

He said: “Along with others, I pursued the attacker, tusk in hand, on to the bridge.

“We called out to warn the public of the danger and, after a struggle, managed to restrain him to the ground.

“At that point I was trying to isolate the blades by holding his wrists so that he could not hurt anyone or set off the device.”

Mr Frost offered his “sincere condolences” to the victims’ families and friends, adding: “In reading about their lives and work I am convinced they represent all that is good in the world, and I will always feel the deep hurt of not being able to save them.”