The London Bridge terrorists tried to hire a 7.5-tonne lorry online on the morning of their attack, police have revealed.

But the payment by the gang's leader, Khuram Butt, failed to go through.

Instead, he hired a smaller van and loaded it with bags of gravel, probably to make it heavier so it could be a more effective battering ram.

The van was used to mow down the first victims, killing three of them, as it mounted the pavement on the busy bridge last Saturday night.

Image: The van was weighed down with gravel, police have revealed

The gang crashed the vehicle into railings and then ran through Borough Market, randomly stabbing more terrified victims at bars and restaurants, before armed officers arrived and shot them dead.


Soon after, police opened the van and discovered thirteen Molotov cocktails - firebombs made from wine bottles, filled with lighter fuel, perhaps intended for another wave of attacks.

Image: One of the knives used in the London Bridge attacks

Each terrorist carried a 12-inch, pink ceramic kitchen knife with a razor-sharp blade and used them to kill five people in the market.

Butt, 27, had wrapped the handle of his weapon with duct tape and tied it to his wrist with a leather strap.

Identical knives, with the brand name Ernesto, were carried by Rachid Redouane, 30, and 22-year-old Youssef Zaghba.

Image: Thirteen Molotov cocktails were found in the van

Commander Dean Haydon, head of Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "We've been working round the clock to understand what these men did in the lead up to the attack, but we need to know more about these unusual knives.

"Where have they come from? Where might the attackers have bought them? If you know anything about these particular types of knives, please let us know. It could prove a crucial lead in our investigation."

Police have discovered the gang used a bedsit, above a bookie's in Barking, east London, as a safe house, rented by Redouane in April.

There they found evidence that linked it to the attack and an English-language copy of the Koran, open at a page describing martyrdom, said Commander Haydon.

Image: Khuram Butt tried to hire a bigger vehicle but his payment did not go through

Among the evidence were plastic water bottles, like those used to create the fake suicide belts each of the terrorists was wearing during the attack.

The new details come as police made two further arrests in connection with the attack, bringing the number to seven.

A 28-year-old man was arrested at around 2am on Saturday in Barking, east London, on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism.

Earlier on Saturday, a 27-year-old man was arrested during a raid in Ilford, east London. He was also held on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.

Image: Eight people were killed in the attack

Police say they have interviewed 262 witnesses, from 19 countries.

They believe there are more who haven't come forward and they are urging them to do so.

They are also warning the public of other similar attacks and want to hear from anyone suspicious of behaviour around the use of hire vehicles, fuel, knives and mobile phones.

Met Police commissioner Cressida Dick said she needed Londoners to be "really alert".

She said: "We know that the attackers hired a vehicle that very day.

"So we need, for example, people who are hiring vans and lorries out to just think about who these people are and if you have any concerns at all to contact us on the anti-terrorist hotline."

Ms Dick added that the force will "step up a gear and do our level best to stop any further attacks".