London Bridge attack—hero restaurant staff saved lives of dozens of diners after shielding them from three machete-wielding terrorists
BRAVE restaurant staff saved the lives of dozens of diners from three machete-wielding terrorists who "hesitated" for a vital moment as they stormed inside.
The killers ran down a flight of stairs at the side of London Bridge towards Cafe Brood near Borough Market after ploughing a white van into several pedestrians on London Bridge.
But quick-thinking staff at the restaurant ushered diners inside, shielding them from the chaos.
The killers "hesitated" then ran down the road and began to attack drinkers in the nearby Mudlark pub before entering Borough Market itself.
Did you see the London Bridge terror attack, or know anyone involved? Please contact The Sun newsdesk on 020 7782 4100, text 07423720250 or email [email protected]
Cafe Brood owner Mark Stembridge, 54, who employs 15 staff, said: "It was frightening, no one really knew what was going on.
"Three Asian guys came down towards the cafe down some steps shouting.
"They had come out of the van and were coming at pace towards us.
"We had around 130 people outside on the terrace.
"The staff protected all the customers and the three guys just hesitated and then they went off towards the Borough Bistro where I heard some people were stabbed.
";They then went into the Mudlark and into the market itself."
MOST READ IN NEWS
He added: "My staff were great and were very very quick to react, if it wasn't for them the customers could have lost their lives.
"Four of my staff are from Albania and some have been in the military and they are used to dealing with the conflict that they have been brought up in.
He said it was not long before the terrorists had completed a loop of the market and came back to Cafe Brood before continuing onto the Black and Blue restaurant where they were finally gunned down by police.
After the attack police evacuated many of the survivors from Borough Market to Liverpool Street where they took witness statements and kept witnesses inside until Sunday morning.
Mr Stembridge says the terrorists, who appeared to be British Asians, were shouting in "strong British accents" as they came down the stairs.
He added: "They were shouting with a very strong British account accents, but it was not correct English, it was quite slangy.
"It was a long time before they came back again, we had everyone inside but we only have shutters so we could not lock the doors.
"They were disorientated as to where they were going, I don't know if it was preplanned but if you wanted to attack the market would be an obvious choice.
"It was frightening."
"We were evacuated out to the Andres in Liverpool Street and only got out this morning."
Did you see the London Bridge terror attack, or know anyone involved? Please contact The Sun newsdesk on 020 7782 4100, text 07423720250 or email [email protected]