John Nixon, an 88-year-old military war veteran, is being praised for his heroic actions after fighting off five men with knives, who were trying to mug a young woman.

John said he stepped in to help after he saw a group of young men mugging a woman on the street.

He said he tried to divert their attention by yelling, "Leave her alone." The robbers then turned to John and told him they would take his money instead.

"My training kicked in. I landed a blow to his neck which rendered him semi-conscious. I disabled one but another one pulled out a knife so I had to try and deal with him too."

While fighting of the group of robbers, John was cut in the head and on his hands after he karate chopped one of the knife-wielding attackers to the ground.

The robber fled, leaving John bleeding in the street. He was taken to the Royal Free Hospital where a social worker told him about a neighborhood police meeting the next evening. He attended and was applauded by the whole room for his act of bravery.

John trained as a commando at the Achnacarry depot in the Highlands in the 1940s and fought in the Korean War. He added that he had joined an elite special services unit in his military career and had been on intelligence missions to Germany, Egypt and the Middle East, he then spent time as a bodyguard.

"My thoughts were just to help the woman. I've been shot in the leg and even bitten by a snake, the venom lay dormant in my spine for years. I've been near death so many times that situation just doesn't worry me. The woman ran off screaming but I hope she is okay."

John is being constantly praised for his bravery and courageous act to protect a young woman.

"Fear is not in my dictionary." John told the Evening Standard.

It is amazing to see such bravery and courage from this man. Truly a hero.