AN Army veteran from Darlington, who was among the first on the scene of the Westminster attack, has told how he tried to save the life of murdered police officer Keith Palmer.

Tony Davis, who served 22 years in the military, is now a GB Boxing performance coach and was leaving a press event with a group of boxers when he saw the attack taking place.

He told ITV's This Morning: "We were leaving the exit parallel to where the crash happened, I had my phone out to take footage for social media about the event.

"I didn't realise there was a crash then at the time, I thought it was a student demonstration, there were people running, coming round towards the gate.

"All of a sudden I saw a large chap brandishing two knives come through the gates and start attacking the policeman.

"At that point instinct kicked in, I leaped over the fence because that guy needed assistance.

"The police were holding their ground and that is when poor Keith got attacked. You start moving back with adrenaline pumping in. At this point the assailant was coming towards us and I recall out of the corner of my eye one of the marksmen coming out and putting three rounds in him."

Appearing on the show without shoes on because they are still being cleaned, Davis told how he rushed in to give the office CPR, saying: "I just knew he was in a great deal of difficulty. Everything happened so quick but my natural instinct was to get over there and give some assistance if need be.

"I'm not that specially trained in first aid but I know the basics and can put someone at ease.

"Initially when he fell to the ground I tried to have a look at him and put him in the recovery position and check his pulse.

"He had a weak pulse, he was bleeding profusely, He had an initial head wound which didn't look too bad although it was bleeding. I know a lot of police were screaming 'he's been stabbed in the head' but he had another wound in his arm and another one which I believe was probably the fatal one under his rib cage.

"I put my raincoat underneath to try to stem the blood."

He added: "I've obviously reviewed the footage and audio on my phone which I've given to the police. About 90 seconds into it another guy called Mike came and joined in and at this time there were lots of police around, Keith's colleagues. Three and a half minutes was when the MP came in and sort of took over CPR."

Davis added that he stayed at the scene after he stopped administering CPR, saying: "I got up and went and looked at the assailant, he was being attended to.

"The MP did a tremendous job, everyone there did, I can't commend the air doctor enough. Very professional. very thorough. It was a great show of solidarity."

He said he is not sure what happened has fully sunk in, telling the show: "I'm just carrying on, I'm down here for a job as a GB Boxing coach, I've got to look after my boxers for tonight. Maybe tomorrow or the day after it will sink in.

"I'm not brave, I'm not a hero."

FOURTH INNOCENT VICTIM DIES IN HOSPITAL 

The Westminster terror attack has claimed its fourth innocent victim, as police confirmed tonight that a 75-year-old man has died in hospital.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The man had been receiving medical treatment in hospital following the attack and life support was withdrawn this evening.

"Next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from specially trained family liaison officers."

POLICE NAME MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR ATROCITY

THE Westminster terror attacker has been named as Khalid Masood.

Scotland Yard said the 52-year-old was not the subject of any current investigations and there was "no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack".

However, he was known to police and has a range of previous convictions for assaults, including GBH, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences.

Masood was born in Kent and detectives believe he was most recently living in the West Midlands.

He was also known by a number of aliases, the Metropolitan Police said.

Masood's first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last conviction was in December 2003 for possession of a knife.

He has not been convicted for any terrorism offences, the Met said.

Three people were killed when the knife-wielding attacker ploughed a car through pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, before storming the Parliamentary estate. He was shot dead.

Earlier on Thursday Prime Minister Theresa May disclosed that the terrorist was British-born and known to police and MI5.

He was once investigated in relation to concerns about violent extremism some years ago but was a "peripheral figure". The case is "historic" and the attacker was "not part of the current intelligence picture," Mrs May added.

At a house being searched in the Birmingham, Masood's former neighbour Iwona Romek, said she could not believe her eyes when she realised the man who had lived near her was the same person responsible for the attack.

She said: "I am very surprised, I cannot believe it.

"Because when I saw him, I couldn't even see that he could do something like this.

"Now I'm scared that someone like that was living close to me."

She added: "I see pictures of him lying injured and from that picture I can see it's him.

"And my partner as well he has seen the picture, he is at work, and when I showed it him he said 'oh my God' it's him."

Ms Romek said she had seen him with a child, aged between five and six years old, and a partner but that they had moved away around two to three months ago.

Other residents, elsewhere in Birmingham, told how more than a dozen black-clad officers equipped with machine guns smashed their way in to the Birmingham flat, believed to be a rental property, at about 11pm on Wednesday.

The Met have confirmed the raid was part of a wider operation in which several addresses were searched and eight arrests made.

One witness who works in a shop near the second-floor Birmingham flat told the Press Association: "The man from London lived here."

He added "They came and arrested three men."

TRIBUTES PAID TO PC PALMER

The Northern Echo:

Charlton Athletic: "Keith was a familiar face at The Valley to many supporters and sat in his same East Stand seat for many years." Picture: Charlton Athletic/PA

PC Keith Palmer was a "wonderful dad and husband, a loving son, brother and uncle" who will be "deeply missed", his family said.

The 48-year-old married father, who was killed in the Westminster terror attack, was "dedicated to his job and proud to be a police officer, brave and courageous".

In a statement, his family added that he was a "long-time supporter of Charlton FC", and a "friend to everyone who knew him".

They said: "He will be deeply missed. We love him so much.

"His friends and family are shocked and devastated by his loss and ask that they are left to grieve alone in peace."

Pc Palmer was stabbed to death in the attack on Wednesday while on duty at the Houses of Parliament.

He joined the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command in April 2016, having previously worked in the Territorial Support Group (TSG).

Pc James Aitkenhead, who worked alongside Keith in the TSG, praised his former colleague as a "genuinely nice person" for whom "nobody had a bad word to say".

"When I heard what had happened I knew it would be him because that's just the sort of guy he was, to step straight in when others might step back."

He said Pc Palmer had a "great work ethic" and "was always so positive, always staying late after everyone else and getting in early".

Pc Aitkenhead added: "We will miss him so much."

Inspector Mark Turner, from the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, who most recently worked with Pc Palmer, said: "He really was a solid reliable member of the team - he came in and just got the job done, quietly and efficiently.

"He was a fantastic member of staff and will be sorely missed."

The Metropolitan Police said that Pc Palmer's shoulder number - 4157U - would be retired and not reissued to any other officer.

NORTH-EAST LANDMARKS LIT UP IN SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH CAPITAL

Landmarks across the region were lit up tonight as a mark of respect for the victims of the Westminster terror attack, and as a show of solidarity with the capital.

The Northern Echo:

Penshaw Monument lit up red, white and blue tonight Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo:

Gateshead Millennium Bridge tonight Picture: NORTH NEWS