As if you needed any further proof that Yorkshiremen and women are the chosen people, a 35-year-old Sheffield man jumped in to protect his girlfriend and her son from a crazed gunman, it has been revealed.
The noble lad, who survived the assault, was en route to treating his girlfriend Jen Dunstan-Furniss, also 35, and her four-year-old son Rio to a picnic in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
After getting off their bus, an armed attacker brandished a gun on Jen and Rio before Gareth risked life and limb for their safety.
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Fortunately, he came away unscathed as the gunman ended up missing his shot from just four feet away.
"He's an absolute, real-life hero." Jen told The Sun. "I just want to shout it out from the rooftops - who needs Spider-Man when I've got my own real-life hero.
"I have been asking him about commitment but then he stands in front of a bullet for me."
After botching the assault, the attacker then drew a knife and fled the scene by hijacking a car and forcing its driver to take him towards Sheffield city centre.
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"I don't think I'm going to have to marry Jen to prove my loyalty any more." Gareth said. "My only concern was the safety of Jen and Rio.
"The man was being quite aggressive towards Jen during the journey and I told him he should stop.
Credit: SWNS
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"When we got off the bus, he got off behind me and when I turned round he had pulled a gun out.
"I must have been four feet away from him when he fired. I don't know how but he must have missed.
"I think it was a real gun because the cartridge was still smoking for a while on the ground afterwards.
"Then he pulled a knife out. I went to grab a dry stone from the wall and my plan was to hit him with it, but then he just legged it."
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He added: "I'm still a little bit shaken up. Rio seems okay, he said he enjoyed his ride in the police car.
"We will have to keep an eye on him."
Such is the extent of Gareth's decency, that he doesn't even hold a grudge against the man who tried to kill him, Jen or Rio.
He criticised cuts to mental health services, saying his assailant is in need of rehabilitation.
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"I'm quite pleased to still be alive and kicking - but this man obviously needs some help.
"I think he must have some sort of mental health issues and it goes to show the effect of the cuts to mental health services.
"I'm positive that if there had been mental health provisions in place that these sort of things might not happen."
Words by Josh Teal
Featured image credit: SWNS
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