London terror attack: Woman 'saved 20 lives' by barricading door of restaurant as terrorists tried to enter

A woman has been described as “heroic” after she reportedly used her body to barricade the door of a restaurant in the London Bridge area, stalling terrorists trying to enter during Saturday night’s attacks and possibly saving the lives of up to 20 people.

Cab driver Aksha Patel told Sky News that the woman had managed to block the door “for a few seconds” giving the people inside the restaurant the opportunity to escape through a back door of the Black and Blue steak restaurant on Rochester Walk in Borough Market.

At least seven people were killed and dozens more injured after a van drove into pedestrians on London Bridge and several men then started stabbing passersby in what police said was a terrorist attack.

Mr Patel told the broadcaster that the woman was one of two of his passengers who had come out of the restaurant after holding the doors closed from the inside.

"She knew they were bad people trying to break in," he said, adding: "She managed to hold the door for a few seconds but then I think they overpowered her."

"People managed to escape through the rear door so she saved maybe 20 peoples lives," he said.

There have been other eyewitness accounts of people attempting to fight those behind the attacks using pint glasses and barstools.

One taxi driver reportedly attempted to use his vehicle to stop the attackers.

Speaking to London radio LBC, he said that he had tried to “ram” the suspected attackers with his vehicles.

General election campaigning has been suspended following the attack, the second the country has experienced in less than a month.

Prime Minister Theresa May said: "Our thoughts are with those who are caught up in these dreadful events."