Watch John Smeaton describe the incident

A baggage handler who helped to foil Saturday's terrorist attack on Glasgow airport has become an internet star, with a tribute website set-up in his honour describing him as a Scottish hero in the mould of William Wallace.

BAA worker John Smeaton told reporters how he had helped a police officer to restrain the suspects after a burning Jeep Cherokee, which was doused in petrol and packed with gas cylinders, crashed through the window of the departures lounge on Saturday.

In a series of television interviews with the BBC, ITV and CNN broadcast around the world, and viewed thousands of times since they were posted on YouTube, Mr Smeaton described how his first thought on being confronted by the two suspects in the burning vehicle was: "What's the score? I've got to get this sorted."

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Spotting a terrorist suspect grappling with police, Mr Smeaton thought: “You’re nae hitting the Polis mate, there’s nae chance.”

He told interviewers: "There was a guy in flames. You just don't expect to see that on a day at work, especially at Glasgow Airport.

"So I ran straight towards the guy, we're all trying to get a kick-in at him, take a boot to subdue the guy."

Mr Smeaton, from Erskine, in Renfrewshire, physically fought with the attacker until he was brought to the ground.

A website called Johnsmeaton.com has been created hailing his effort, and has already been deluged with scores of tributes and humorous comments.

"Here's to his heroism, his straightforward belief in right and wrong, his support for Law and Order, and his willingness to give a good kicking to someone richly deserving it," the site proclaims.

The site urges visitors to "pledge a pint" to Mr Smeaton as a reward. By lunchtime today more than 600 £3 pints had been pledged behind the bar at the Glasgow Airport's Holiday Inn.

The site said Mr Smeaton's "have-a-go" attitude was typical of the Glaswegian spirit, and hailed him as the airport's answer to Jack Bauer, the all-action hero of American TV drama 24.

Comments added by internet users include: "Keep puttin' the boot in to terror. Well done, that man" and "Get that man down to the Roslin Institute now and get him cloned". Ten years ago researchers at the Roslin Institute made a scientific breakthrough by cloning Dolly the Sheep.

Another said: "Smeats you are the greatest, right up their [sic] with the Proclaimers". The Proclaimers are a Scottish rock band.

In another television report posted on YouTube Smeaton delivered a message to terrorists: "they can try and come to Britain and distrupt us any way they want, but the British people have been under a lot more things than this, and have stood proud."

Demonstrating the "have-a-go" attitude typical of Glaswegians, Mr Smeaton continued: "Glasgow doesnae accept this, if you come tae Glasgow, we'll set about you."

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