The first pictures have emerged of the heroic pensioner who stepped in to try and save Jo Cox.
Bernard Kenny, 77, was stabbed with a ten-inch knife when he tried to intervene when the 41-year-old MP was targeted outside her constituency surgery in the town of Birstall, West Yorkshire.
He watched in horror as she fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood- then ran over to her in a last ditch bid to save her life, The Mirror reports.
Kenny is now recovering in hospital after the attacker pierced his liver, narrowly missing his heart and other major organs, police confirmed.
Calls are now growing for Kenny to be awarded with the George Cross, in honour of his bravery, with more than 4,000 already signing the petition to try and make it a reality.
Organisers wrote:
After [he] fell to the ground, his thoughts were only for others, as he mouthed ‘I’m OK’ to his terrified wife across the road. We believe that Bernard Kenny deserves the highest honour for bravery that this country can award.
Witnesses described how the former mine rescue worker blew a kiss to his wife, Doreen, to assure sure her that he would be okay while he was lying injured on a cafe floor.
A man who attempted to save Kenny’s life last week, Colin Frith, told MailOnline:
It was a crazy scenario. There was blood pouring from his wound and at one point I feared he was going to die. He was lying on the floor of a cafe and I was bandaging his chest and comforting him. We asked him gently what had happened outside but he didn’t say very much. He just said ‘I was trying to help her’.
Frith went on to echo the sentiments of those who started the George Cross petition, adding:
He must be honoured for his bravery. It takes a true hero, a very brave person, to put his own life at risk to try to save someone else’s. He is a true gentleman and his family must be so proud of him.
Thomas Mair, from Birstall, appeared in court on Saturday charged with Jo Cox’s murder, grievous bodily harm against Kenny, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of a knife.
When he appeared in court, when asked to give his name, he replied: “My name is death to traitors, freedom for Britain”.
Mair has now been remanded in custody and is due to appear before Westminster magistrates again later today.
We wish Bernard a speedy recovery and hope gets the award he deserves- it takes a seriously brave person to do what he did.
