A hero officer who was held hostage during the in 1980 has died aged 85.

PC Trevor Lock was on guard outside the building in South Kensington, London when took him and 25 other people hostage. The bloody episode ended following a six-day stand-off that was televised in a dramatic moment of UK history. A total of five of the six terrorists were killed in the operation. A Police Federation spokesman confirmed PC Lock's death on Tuesday, saying he died on Sunday and that "our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."

The spokesman continued: "PC Lock is remembered for calming his fellow hostages during the siege, acting as an intermediary between the terrorists and the security forces that ringed the building and - as the embassy was stormed - tackling the leading gunman. PC Lock was awarded the George Medal for his 'outstanding courage, sustained bravery, calmness and devotion to duty. We could not have said it any better."

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PC Lock had strapped a hidden handgun to his body and spoke to police negotiators after creating a rapport with the separatist group. He then wrestled the leader as the rescue operation began. But for years, he played down his heroic actions, instead spending the remainder of his career on motorway patrol.

The then prime minister Maggie Thatcher ordered the SAS to storm the building after they murdered a hostage who was thrown into the street. In a daring operation, troops abseiled from the roof and blew out the window, before they burst in and shot dead the other five terrorists and freed hostages.

The country held its breath for six days when six armed terrorists held the hostages inside the building. The gunmen, all members of Arabs of KSA Group, demanded the release of Arab prisoners from around the and their own safety in return for handing over the hostages.

Mrs Thatcher refused to guarantee the terrorists safe passage out of the UK and between April 30 and May 5, 1980, the world watched and waited. Frustrated and angry at the lack of progress by 1pm on the final day of the seige, one of the armed men told the police negotiator unless he could speak to an Arab ambassador within 45 minutes, one of the hostages would die.

Exactly 45 minutes after the demands were made, shots were fired inside the building. However, was that in the very building next door a crack team of SAS soldiers were lying in wait for the moment they would swoop in.

The elite troops had been in place almost from the very first day and were ready to leap into action at all times. Rusty Firman was a Lance Corporal in the SAS B Squadron at the time.

When the seige broke out he was just 30 years old and was preparing for a training exercise when the call came. The elite troops were transferred from their base to Regent's Park Barracks, still four miles from the embassy.

However by the early hours of May 1, one team was in place in the building next door. By May 2 the whole squardon was moved into the building, working in 12 hour shifts, making sure one was always ready to storm the building if they were needed.

Rusty said: "The team on duty was fully armed and ready to go." But one thing Rusty and his comrades desperately needed to ensure they could get all the hostages out alive was the time to plan.

Over the following days they used everything within their power to gather intelligence about the layout of the building, where the hostages were being held and who the terrorists were. Holes were drilled in walls so listening devices could be implanted and the SAS worked tirelessly to make sure they were prepared.

And Rusty credits one man with buying them the time they needed to make sure they were prepared.

He said: "Max Vernon was the head negotiator. He kept them talking for six days and bought us time. He deserves more credit than he ever got. Without that extra time the outcome could have been very different."