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The pensioner hailed a hero for trying to save MP Jo Cox is a former miner who spent 40 years working in the industry ... and has talked about his life in a nostalgic pamphlet.

Bernard Kenny was stabbed in the abdomen with a 10ins blade when trying to save the MP.

He watched in horror as she fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood – then ran from his car in a desperate bid to save her life.

But he was hit by the blade which pierced his liver, narrowly missing his heart and other major organs.

After being discharged from hospital, Mr Kenny and his family passed their sincere condolences to the family of Jo Cox.

In a family statement they said: “We would also like to thank people at the scene, the police, ambulance service and the staff at LGI who were excellent in dealing with the situation.

“Finally, many people have shown great kindness over the last few days. This has been much appreciated by the whole family, but now we hope you will respect the fact that we need time and privacy for Bernard to recover.”

Mr Kenny, who shares the same birthday as Jo Cox, turned 78 this year.

He spent his working life as a miner and he was part of the rescue teams at the Lofthouse mining disaster in 1973.

He was a member of the Gomersal Mines Rescue Team which tried to rescue victims of the disaster, in which seven men lost their lives in a flooded pit.

He features in the Spen Valley Civic Society’s pamphlet ‘Life Dahn’t Pit’ which gives memories of the Gomersal pit.

He spent 40 years in the mining industry.

When Shaw Cross colliery closed in 1968 he was transferred to Gomersal.

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Gomersal Colliery was the last pit to close in the Spen Valley in 1973 and he was then transferred to Lofthouse.

In the pamphlet he says: “I made some good friends at Gomersal although they were a little bit sceptic (sic) of us at first because we had come from a bigger pit and their attitude was you will not close our pit down, but that was only a few.

“When Gomersal did close in 1973 I transferred to Lofthouse and to put them in comparison, it was like moving from a mud hut to a five star hotel.”

More than 34,000 people signed a petition urging for Mr Kenny, a grandfather and dad-of-two, to be awarded the George Medal for his actions in trying to save the MP.