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A London Bridge terror attack hero who helped take down the attacker was a convicted murderer on day release, it has emerged.

James Ford, 42, was sentenced to life in prison in 2004 for the murder of 21-year-old Amanda Champion who was found strangled and with her throat cut in Ashford, Kent in July 2003.

Ford was arrested after a Samaritans worker, who he called to confess he murder to, tipped off police.

Ford helped to take down the knifeman while he was on day release from his life sentence, Mirror Online reported .

It is understood that Ford is in the final days of his sentence at HMP Standford Hill, an open prison in Kent.

He was at the centre of the London Bridge attack while he was out on day release from his life sentence.

(Image: PA)

His victim's aunt Angela Cox has told how she was contacted yesterday by Kent Police who informed her Ford had been involved in the terror attack as a member of the public, reports the Mail.

Angela, 65, said she was "angry" Ford was out on day release after the horrific murder of her niece - who had the mental age of a 15-year-old.

She said: "He is not a hero. He is a murderer out on day release, which us as a family didn't know anything about. He murdered a disabled girl. He is not a hero, absolutely not.

"They let him out without even telling us. Any of my family could have been in London and just bumped into him."

Angela described how a police liaison officer had called her yesterday asking if she was aware of the London incident before revealing Ford had been captured on TV.

(Image: PA)

The still-heartbroken aunt said the officer told her "don't worry" before saying Ford was at the scene and "being classed as a hero".

Former factory worker Ford has never revealed his motive for killing Amanda.

At the time of his jailing, a judge told him: "What you did was an act of wickedness.

"You clearly have an interest in the macabre and also an obsession with death including murder by throat cutting."

Another hero at the scene, Thomas Gray, said he just did "what any Londoner would do".

The 24-year-old, who is a tour firm manager, said he stamped on the terrorist's wrist to try to make him release one of two large knives he was carrying.

(Image: Police handout)

Mr Gray said: "I was brought up on rugby and the rule is 'one in, all in'. I did what any Londoner would do and tried to put a stop to it."

At the time of the attack, he had been driving northbound on London Bridge with his colleague Stevie, when they saw several people running towards the south of the bridge.

They immediately turned the car off and ran towards the attacker, who had been "wrestled" to the floor by "five or six other blokes".

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Mr Gray said: "He had two knives on him, one in each hand, and it looked like they were taped to his hand".

"I stamped on his left wrist while someone else smacked his hand on the ground and kicked one of the knives away.

"I went to pick up the knife when I heard a cop say 'he has got a bomb'.

Police have named the attacker as 28-year-old Usman Khan was convicted in 2012 for terrorism offences and released from prison last December on licence, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said.

The Commissioner said Khan had been living in the Staffordshire area and officers were searching the address.

He added police were "not actively seeking anyone else" over the attack which left two dead and several others injured.

The Ministry of Justice said they would not be providing a comment.