STAFF and passengers joined in a heroic bid to catch the two men while the car burned in front of them. They acted to help police as they struggled to contain the men, one of them on fire.

Airport worker John Smeaton said: "I saw a jeep crashing into the front of the building. I saw a man get out of the passenger side and a policeman was coming to assist and the man attacked him.

"I thought that's not right' and went to help and others did the same.

"Myself and a woman security worker pulled one man away from the vehicle and then the other man, covered in flames, attacked the police. That's when I thought, I've got to help, I can't let them get away with this'.

"I had to try and subdue this guy. There was a bit of confusion, people didn't really know what was happening, but with the events of recent days we realised what was going on and people started to help.

"This guy was determined. I could see the aggression on his face. He was going straight for the policeman."

Another man, Stephen Clarkson, also intervened and helped to capture the driver.

He said people were panicking and running away from the burning Jeep.

"There was an Asian man with flames coming from his body. It was just lucky that I was there, I managed to knock the man to the ground with my forearm and the police got him and restrained him," he said.