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Hero Brit Tom Jackson nominated for award

Mr Jackson suffered fatal stab wounds as he tried to save fellow backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, when she was stabbed in a knife attack at Shelley’s Backpackers in Home Hill last week.

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Both were allegedly knifed by Frenchman Smail Ayad, 29, who was arrested and charged with Ayliffe-Chung’s murder and Jackson’s attempted murder last Friday.

Police said Ayad shouted the Arabic phrase “Allahu akbar” during the attack, but that there is no indication the assault was motivated by extremism.

Queensland police have confirmed Mr Jackson, 30, has passed away in Townsville Hospital.

He said: “Most importantly, our hearts go out to Mia and her family and friends at this awful time”.

She urged people not to remember him as a victim but as a friend and to cherish his memory, adding: ‘Indescribably proud of everything you accomplished and the lives you touched.

Les Jackson also thanked Townsville locals for their support.

Mr Jackson, from Congleton in Cheshire, was stabbed at least 20 times.

He said: “Our darling Tom has left us and the world is a poorer place”.

On Tuesday Rosie Ayliffe complained about the “misrepresentation” of her daughter’s death “as an act of terrorism on the part of an Islamic fundamentalist”.

And Tom’s brother Daniel said: “He wasn’t just my brother, Tom was my best friend and he would be there for me no matter what, even from the other side of the world”.

A fundraising page was set up for “hero” Jackson who was “attacked while selflessly trying to save a woman from being killed”.

A French national is expected to have a charge of attempted murder upgraded to a second charge of murder at his next court appearance in October.

Ms Ayliffe, who is planning to travel to Australia soon, admitted to feeling apprehensive about the media attention surrounding her daughter’s death here.

Mia’s ashes will be given to friends and family to scatter at places they visited together, some of the ashes will also be scatter on countries she had planned to visit during her trip. “I’m going to miss you terribly”.

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Tom’s father, Les Jackson, who is in Australia, is quoted on the crowd funding page as thanking people for their support.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung