By Abdul Tukur

A man, who intervened and tried to prevent the murder of the MP Jo Cox, has died aged 79 of cancer.

Bernard Kenny, a former miner, was stabbed by Mrs Cox’s killer, Thomas Mair in the stomach during the attack in Birstall, West Yorkshire, in June last year.

Mr Kenny who was awarded the George Medal for bravery was waiting for his wife outside the Library when he saw Mair going “berserk”.

He said in a statement to police: “I thought if I could jump on to the back, I could take him down. I thought he was thumping her until I saw the blood. I saw he had a knife in his hands. It was what I call a dagger. The blade was about nine inches.

“Just as I got short of him, he turned around and saw me. He shoved the knife in and it hit me in the stomach. The blood started pouring out between my fingers. I saw the blood and I thought, ‘Oh my God’.”

Neo-Nazi Mr Mair was given a life sentence for murder and was also found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Kenny and possession of a gun and dagger.

The pensioner who passed away last night, after a battle with cancer was described as a “very peaceful, unassuming, family man,” by his son Phil.

Phil said his father who was diagnosed with the disease in June “went very peacefully and he was not suffering.”

Brendan, Mrs Cox’s husband tweeted that Kenny was “a hero.”

“He personified the best of our country; risking his own safety to help others. Our thoughts and love are with his family.”