The 'Lion of London Bridge' was allegedly caught spitting on a black photographer and ranting about "foreign c***s" just weeks before the terror attack.

Roy Larner, 47, was branded a hero after he shouted "f*** you, I'm Millwall" and ran towards the London Bridge attackers last month before being stabbed several times.

But a video has now emerged appearing to show him hurling racist abuse at a group of protesters before saying he is a member of far right group National Front.

Mr Larner has apologised and told The Sun: “I have seen the video clip and I’m sorry to have caused any offence, it wasn’t intentional and something that took place months ago.

“I was out walking my dogs and got caught up in a march. The dogs got agitated as the marchers were coming over to them, things got heated and personal, a slanging match started and got abusive, bad language was used and they were taunting me.”

During the protest outside the Arts College in Elephant and Castle, thought to be several weeks before the London Bridge attack, the protesters were holding anti-Brexit and anti-Trump placards and chanting: "Hey hey, ho, ho, Trump and May have got to go."

Mr Larner, who was walking his now-ex girlfriend's dogs, approached them and said: "A band of foreigners, you c***s."

But when Mr Larner was photographed he approached a black photographer and is heard saying "people like you stink like s**t".

He said: "F*** off. Shut up you c***, don't take a picture of me.

"W***ers, people like you stink like s**t. Foreigners, c***s. Foreign c***s."

The photographer replied: "Don't spit at me."

The furious protesters turned towards Mr Larner and shouted: "We fight back when the racists attack."

The protesters forced him to retreat and walk away but before leaving he shouted back: "I f***ed your mum, I f***ed your mum.

"National Front, I'm part of them, f*** off you black c***."

Mr Larner's mum Phyllis, 78, from Peckham, has said the Millwall fan will stand up to anyone.

She said: "They said something to Roy about the dogs, when he was taking them for a walk.

"I was walking to get the bus at the time, it was a good few weeks ago.

"These blokes, about four or five of them, said something to Roy and he turned round and you know, he'll stand up to anyone.

"I don't know what they said to him, I was in a hurry and we were not really talking at the time.

"He was taking the dogs for a walk and was on his way back to his girlfriend's, he gave them a mouthful.

"If he didn't have the dogs, I don't know what he might have done, as you can imagine.

"He doesn't need a weapon, if you've got a good pair of hands then that is all you need.

"He is certainly quite a character, he can be a bit of a handful."

She added that during London Bridge attack Mr Larner would have died if the police had not arrived.

Phyllis added: "Roy is doing alright, I never realised how bad he was stabbed I cannot believe how he got out of it alive.

"If the police had not got there in time I do not think he would have survived.

"I cannot believe how he survived that."

The former girlfriend of the Lion of London Bridge has claimed her daughter's father is not a racist.

Tracy Wicks, 54, did not know about Mr Larner's outburst but said he is well known to stand up for himself.

It is unlike him to get into a fight when taking the two dogs out for walks, Ms Wicks, who is mum to Mr Larner's daughter Freya, 14, added.

She said: "He takes the dogs out regularly, he is not a racist, not in my experience, you don't know what happened at the time.

"He does take the dogs out, he never mentioned anything about it to me.

"He's not likely to have got into a fight with the dogs, I don't know what had happened before though, I wasn't there."