London attack: Images of fake explosive belts released

The three men were wearing these belts during the attack at London Bridge

Police have released images of the fake explosives belts worn by the men who carried out the London Bridge attack.

Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba wore the belts as they stabbed people in Borough Market.

The officer leading the investigation said use of the belts was a "tactic" he had not seen before in the UK and one that created "maximum fear".

The belts were still on the attackers, who murdered eight people, when they were shot dead by police.

Each belt had three disposable water bottles covered in adhesive tape attached to them.

Commander Dean Haydon, of the Metropolitan Police, said anyone who had seen the belts on the night would have thought they were genuine.

"I have not seen this tactic in the UK before, where terrorists create maximum fear by strapping fake explosives to themselves," he said.

"It makes the bravery of those police officers and members of the public who tackled the terrorists even more remarkable."

• Victims of the London Bridge attack

• London attackers 'planned to use lorry'

• London attack: What we know so far

• The heroes who rushed to help

Commander Haydon said it was hard to speculate what the motive had been for wearing the belts, but said the three attackers may have had plans for a siege or might have seen them as possible protection from being shot themselves.

The photos were released a day after police revealed that the attackers had tried to hire a 7.5 tonne lorry to run people over on London Bridge during the 3 June attack.

The men failed to provide payment details and the vehicle was not picked up, prompting them to use a smaller van from a DIY store instead.

All eight victims of the attack have been named.

They were 30-year-old Canadian national Chrissy Archibald, Australian Kirsty Boden, 28, Australian Sara Zelenak, 21, James McMullan, 32, from Hackney, London, Frenchmen Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Xavier Thomas, 45, and chef Sebastien Belanger, 36, and Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria, 39.

Eight people were killed in the attack last Saturday.

Since the attack, 20 people have been arrested, with 13 buildings searched. Seven people remain in custody.

The police said they had questioned 262 witnesses from 19 countries - of which 78 are classed as "significant" - but they believe there are more people with information and have urged them to come forward.