The families of the victims of the London Bridge and Borough Market terror attacks have condemned the "missed opportunities" that could have stopped the atrocity.

Their comments came as the chief coroner concluded that the victims were unlawfully killed.

Eight people were killed and 48 were badly injured in the van and knife attack on 3 June 2017.

Image: Christine Archibald, James McMullan, Alexandre Pigeard, Sebastien Belanger, Kirsty Boden, Sara Zelenak, Xavier Thomas, and Ignacio Echeverria were killed in the attack

The attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police marksmen less than 10 minutes after the rampage began.

The inquest heard how, even though the ringleader, Butt, had been under investigation, authorities failed to pass on tip-offs about his extremism, including one from a family member.


Survivor: I saw the van and said 'this is how we die'

The girlfriend of a London Bridge victim blamed authorities for a catalogue of "staggering" failings in the lead up to the attack.

But Christine Delcros, whose boyfriend Xavier Thomas was struck on the bridge, said of the three terrorists: "They tried in vain to extinguish our joy, our hope, our love. But in the end, they failed."

In an emotional statement, Ms Delcros highlighted a "catalogue of failings", saying: "I believe this attack was preventable."

She said: "The absence of necessary preventative measures on the bridge, despite repeated, urgent warnings about the risk to pedestrians on the bridge from experts who knew the risks to the public, and imperfect communication between authorities meant that opportunities to identify all the attackers and disrupt their activities did not occur.

"I find it staggering that Butt, a well-known extremist was allowed to work within the London Transport network, to have access to and teach young children, and to rent and use a vehicle in a manner now too often encountered.

"I am dismayed SO15 (counter terrorism police) did not pass this critical information to any of his employers.

"It also adds to our distress to know that the search for Xavier immediately after the attack was so brief - it lasted only 47 minutes."

In emotional scenes outside the court after the coroner had delivered his verdict, Phillippe Piegard, father of one of the victims, Alexandre Piegard, 26, a waiter at the Boro Bistro restaurant, said: "It has been two years of pain. To understand, to reconstruct, the strain.

"To watch all the CCTV footage, to learn, to ask the right questions and get answers. I still do not know precisely what happened to my son in the first attack.

"We are aware there were lots of missed opportunities to identify one of the attackers who was known to be very dangerous.

"I think this attack could have been preventable."

He paid tribute to nurse Helen Kennett, who stood with him outside court.

Mr Piegard said: "She came to help my son who was bleeding to death. She was stabbed too in a few seconds."

He added: "My son was good for humanity. He was gentle, marvellous - a big loss. I want to thank so much Helen for her courage."

At the Old Bailey, chief coroner Mark Lucraft QC has been hearing the issues surrounding the deaths.

The inquest heard how barriers to protect pedestrians on the bridge were not installed in the wake of the Westminster Bridge attack three months before.

Police officers relive night of terror in London

It also heard how police and MI5 failed to recognise the threat posed by ringleader Butt, who associated with Islamic State fanatic Anjem Choudary, appeared in the documentary The Jihadi Next Door and was able to teach the Koran at a primary school.

The coroner criticised the fact there were no barriers on the bridge in his conclusions, while the police investigation was "rigorous".

He said there was an "arguable" case there had been a breach of an operational duty in relation to the police and MI5 investigation before the attack and a general breach of systems for protective security on the bridge.

Assistant Commander Neil Basu, of the Metropolitan Police, paid tribute to all the victims and added: "The criminals who killed these eight people should be forgotten and forgotten quickly.

"By contrast those who were murdered were deeply loved and will always be remembered."

Father of terror attack victim tells of grief

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "The London Bridge attack was an act of pure evil carried out by a group of terrorists who sought to strike fear at the core of our tolerant and inclusive society.

"Over the past two months, we've heard the deeply moving and harrowing accounts of people caught up in the horrors of that tragic evening.

"We've also heard stories of compassion, bravery and pure courage. My thoughts continue to be with the victims and all those affected and I recognise the pain they must have felt reliving events during the inquests."

"I would also like to pay tribute to the professionalism and tireless dedication of our intelligence and security agencies and counter-terrorism police - who often have to make difficult decisions in extremely complex circumstances.

"This attack, and the others we have seen in recent years, have only strengthened our resolve to unite against those who seek to use violence to attack our way of life."

Xavier Thomas, 45, Christine Archibald, 30, James McMullan, 32, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, Sara Zelenak, 21, and Ignacio Echeverria Miralles de Imperial, 39, died in the 2017 attack.