A former marine has told how he saved 70 lives in the Orlando shooting by recognising immediately that Omar Mateen was intent on killing as many as possible and instinctively pushing people towards the exit.

Imran Yousuf, 24, served in Afghanistan and left the force last month, taking a job as a bouncer at Pulse. When he heard gunfire break out, he recognised it immediately.

"You could just tell it was a high caliber," said Mr Yousuf.

He ran towards a locked door that people had huddled around, too terrified to move.

“I'm screaming 'Open the door! Open the door!' And no one is moving because they are scared.

"There was only one choice — either we all stay there and we all die, or I could take the chance, and I jumped over to open that latch and we got everyone that we can out of there."

Police believe around 350 people were inside the Orlando gay club at the time of the shooting, in the early hours of Sunday.

Mr Yousuf estimated that around 70 people rushed out with him.

