The leader of the London Bridge attackers ran his knife under a tap to clean off the blood after stabbing two kneeling victims, then wiped it on his beard before continuing his attack, an inquest has heard.

Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, ploughed into pedestrians on the bridge then attacked random members of the public with pink 12in ceramic knives.

Footage released today shows their white hire van crossing the famous bridge seconds before it mounted the pavement.

In what was described as a 'chilling gesture' by Jonathan Hough, QC for the coroner, Butt walked over to a running tap during the attack, ran his knife under it to clean off the blood, and wiped it, first on one side of his face, then the other.

The trio were shot dead by elite armed officers as they lay writhing around wounded on the floor, the inquest heard.

Khuram Butt walked over to the still-running tap, ran his knife under it to clean off the blood, and wiped it, first on one side of his face, then the other. He was shot dead by police

Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were also shot dead by police

Xavier Thomas, 45, and Christine Archibald, 30, who died in the London Bridge terror attack walking on the bridge that evening

In footage shown to the inquest, Butt was shown ordering two men to kneel down and then stabbing one in the throat before moving on to stab the other several times.

Describing the attacker's final moments, Detective Superintendent Rebecca Riggs said: 'Officers noticed the attackers while on the ground still moving and, concerned about devices being detonated, fired on them.'

The bogus bomb vests were made from leather belts with with disposable water bottles attached to them with masking tape.

DSI Riggs said: '[Butt] went towards the officers even though he was being confronted by the officer. He opened fire and Butt fell to the floor.'

Earlier today, the inquest heard that victim Ignacio Echeverria, 39, was cycling with two friends on June 3 2017 when he came across two police officers helping two of those injured by the knifemen.

Hero Ignacio Echeverria fought back against the terrorists with his skateboard

Mr Echeverria, an HSBC financial crime analyst, ran across to help and swung his board at one of the killers but was knocked to the ground by Rachid Redouane, the inquest was told.

Det Sup Riggs told the Old Bailey: 'Ignacio got off his bike and ran across to where the two officers were to assist the two officers.

'He had taken his board from his rucksack and swung at the attackers and managed to hit them. (Rachid) Redouane retaliated, causing him to fall on the ground. The attackers then set upon him on the ground.'

Counsel to the coroner Jonathan Hough QC said: 'It was a brief but furious assault.'

Mr Echeverria was the last of eight fatalities around London Bridge and Borough Market in an attack which also left 48 people seriously injured.

The attackers then broke into a locked restaurant in Borough Market and set upon the staff and customers, making one victim lie down before slitting his throat.

The three terrorists strapped fake explosive belts made from water bottles on to their torsos in a bid to strike fear into the hearts of officers attempting to stop them

The terrorists tied 12-inch knives (pictured) to their wrists with tape before they launched their attack

Pictured: the battered Renault van used by terrorists during the attack on London Bridge in 2017, leaving it with its bumper hanging off

At a cafe, one female staff member was stabbed as she hid under the table, and the three men then moved on to force their way into a restaurant called Black and Blue.

Butt tried to force the door open and Redouane kicked it twice which caused it to come loose at the bottom, the inquest heard.

Most customers and staff managed to escape through the dining area but Redouane stabbed one man multiple times.

A chilling CCTV image showed him approaching his victim with the knife at waist level, apparently covered in blood.

The other victims were Christine Archibald, 30, Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, and James McMullan, 32.

Zaghba and Butt discarded their jackets to reveal fake suicide vests before the terrorists confronted unarmed police officers shouting 'Allahu Akbar'.

The onslaught came to an end after less than 10 minutes when the attackers were shot by City of London Police marksmen.

Graphics released today shows the location of six of the victims when they were attacks

Another images shows the route of the attackers as they weaved in and out of busy pubs and restaurants attacking diners

The red, green and blue dots on this image show where the attackers were when the police arrived. The coloured squares show the position of police officers

Neil McLelland, who was looking out of the window of the nearby Wheatsheaf pub, was hit in the head by a bullet and fell to the ground, while five other people were injured by shrapnel.

Other armed officers arrived on the scene, and Det Sgt Riggs said: 'Believing that they (the attackers) were wearing improvised explosive devices they withdrew.

'They could see that the attackers were still moving. They believed they were going to activate the explosive devices they were wearing and they fired a number of shots.'

Mr Hough said the officers then put 'themselves in harm's way' to evacuate the pub, taking Mr McLelland, who survived his injuries, and others to safety.

Who were the victims of the London Bridge terror attack?

Ignacio Echeverria

Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria was stabbed to death as he tried to fight off the terrorist attackers with his skateboard.

The 39-year-old had been in the UK for over a year was working as a financial crime analyst at HSBC.

Mr Echeverria joined unarmed police constables Wayne Marques and Charlie Guenigault in fighting off the three attackers as they set upon Marie Bondeville, hitting at least one terrorist with his skateboard.

'His courageous efforts were to seek to stop the attack,' Chief Coroner Mark Lucraft said.

Kirsty Boden

Mr Echeverria was the youngest of five siblings and was a Catholic who went to mass every week. He could speak English, German and French fluently.

Nurse Kirsty Boden was fatally stabbed as she tried to tend to the wounded and the dying.

Miss Boden, 28, moved to London in 2013 from the small town of Loxton, in South Australia.

She was a senior staff nurse at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and lived with her British boyfriend James Hodder in a flat in Hampstead.

Mr Hodder said: 'She loved people and loved her life helping others. To Kirsty, her actions that night would have been an extension of how she lived her life.'

Alexandre Pigeard

Alexandre Pigeard was working as a waiter at Boro Bistro when he was attacked.

The 26-year-old Frenchman had moved to London to further his ambitions as a dance music DJ.

Minutes before he was fatally stabbed, he video-called his father Philippe during a break from work at the French restaurant.

Mr Pigeard had planned to return to France in the autumn of 2017 to help open a restaurant in Nantes and to record an EP with his musician father.

Mr Pigeard senior told the inquest: 'I'm present here as a devastated father who has lost a child in such circumstances - an inconsolable father.'

James McMullan

James McMullan was stabbed in the chest near the Barrowboy and Banker pub while he was celebrating getting financial backing for his online education company.

The British-Filipino entrepreneur was watching the Champions League final with friends in the pub.

The 32-year-old, from Hackney in East London, was attacked when he stepped outside to have a cigarette.

He had dreamed of helping children without access to education through his e-learning company.

Mr McMullan's father Simon described his son as 'funny, charming and clever' and said 'his fearlessness could never be underestimated'.

Sebastien Belanger

The mother of chef Sebastien Belanger said she does not forgive the terrorists who 'mutilated and killed him'.

Her 36-year-old son was drinking at the Boro Bistro when he was stabbed repeatedly in the chest.

His mother Josiane Belanger said: 'We miss him so much, his smile, his joie de vivre. I do not forgive what they did to him.'

Originally from Angers in western France, Mr Belanger started work at the Coq d'Argent in the City and was promoted to the role of head chef.

Australian au pair Sara Zelenak was on the 'trip of a lifetime' when she was stabbed to death while on a night out with a friend.

Sara Zelenak

Miss Zelenak's mother Julie Wallace said 'every sliding door' put her daughter in 'harm's way'.

'She was meant to be working and at the last minute she got the night off,' Mrs Wallace said.

'At 10pm Sara's phone rang and her friend said 'I've finished at the rugby' and so she left her safe haven and walked out into a terrorist attack and was stabbed to death.'

Before leaving for UK in March 2017, Miss Zelenak worked with her stepfather Mark as a crane truck operator in Brisbane to save up for her trip.

Her parents have since set up Sarz Sanctuary to help other families to cope with grief.

Xavier Thomas

Xavier Thomas was walking over London Bridge with his girlfriend Christine Delcros when they were hit by the van.

The 45-year-old father-of-two was catapulted into the Thames and his girlfriend suffered life-changing injuries. His body was recovered downstream three days later.

Mr Thomas, who had arrived in London on the day of the attack, lived near Paris and worked for American Express.

Miss Delcros said: 'Since Xavier disappeared in such tragic and traumatic circumstances our whole world has fallen apart.'

Canadian tourist Christine Archibald told her fiance Tyler Ferguson she loved him seconds before she was mowed down.

Christine Archibald

Miss Archibald and Mr Ferguson were walking across London Bridge after dinning at a nearby restaurant when the atrocity unfolded.

Her fiancé said: 'At one point Chrissy stopped me out of nowhere, grabbed me close and gave me a passionate kiss after telling me she loved me.

'I remember it being a warm summer's evening and the sun had just gone down.. And then the attack took place and Chrissy was killed.

'No words can express how I felt when this happened. I was absolutely devastated and inconsolable. Nothing has ever been the same since.'

Miss Archibald's engagement ring was lost during the attack, but later recovered from the bridge. Mr Ferguson now wears it on a chain around his neck.