As the people of Paris pick themselves up and vow to reclaim their city extraordinary tales of heroism are emerging from the horrific terrorist attacks that claimed 129 lives on Friday night.

Tonight in Paris the Eiffel Tower is bathed in red, white and blue as it re-opens for the first time since Friday night’s terrorist attacks.

The Tower is a symbol of hope and freedom for the French. A representation of our hope of a better world. When the lights turned the famous monument red, white and blue the minds of the world turned not just to those who lost their lives but also to those who saved lives.

The heroes of the Paris attacks.

No doubt over the coming weeks there will be more tales of bravery emerging as survivors speak out about the atrocities they witnessed.

Here are just a few…

Zouheir – the Muslim security guard who saved an untold number of lives at the Stade De France attack.

The careful and calculated planning by the extremists responsible for Friday’s terrorist acts is now being investigated.

Police say they believe that the death toll at the Stade De France could have been in the hundreds, or even thousands had a lone security guard not uncovered a suicide bomber’s vest as he tried to enter the stadium.

It is believed that the plan the extremists had was to detonate the bombs inside the game – attended by 80,000 people and create mass panic and a stampede which would have led to further loss of life.

The Wall Street Journal reports that a security guard by the name of Zouheir discovered a ticket holder wearing an explosives vest when he frisked the man at the entrance to the stadium about 15 minutes into the game.

The man then attempted to back away from security and the detonated the vest, which was loaded with explosives and bolts, Zouheir who survived the blast, was stationed by the players’ tunnel. He said he was briefed on the sequence by the security frisking team at the gate.

Around three minutes later, a second person also blew himself up outside the stadium and then a third suicide attacker detonated explosives at a nearby McDonald’s, police said.

Brave fans sing the national anthem as they leave the Stade De France.

In these three blasts only one person tragically lost their lives – a number that, had Zouheir not been on alert – could have been much higher.

Zouheir told The Wall Street Journal that at first he thought the blasts he heard were firecrackers, which aren’t uncommon at soccer matched in Europe. He said that said when his walkie-talkie came alive with chatter, and he noticed that French President François Hollande —who was in attendance at the Stade de France—was being ushered out of the stadium and at that moment he knew.

“Once I saw Hollande being evacuated, I knew it wasn’t firecrackers,”

The game continued until the duration of the match with coaches making the decision not to tell players or the crowd of the attacks in order to prevent panic and a stampede.

It is now only being realised just how many loves this Muslim security guard may have saved.

Ludo Boumbas died saving the life of a woman by throwing himself in front of a bullet fired by one of the Paris terrorists.

40-year old Ludovic Boumbas is also being praised widely for his heroic action.

The Congolese man who grew up in Lille, northern France, was enjoying a birthday meal with friends when gunmen began to fire bullets at people sitting on the terrace of La Belle Epique bar in the Rue de Charonne in the 11th district.

The attack began at 9:35pm when two men arrived in a black car and sprayed bullets over the bar’s terrace, killing at least 19 people.

People’s favourite memories of Paris. Post continues after video:

A friend of Mr Boumbas told The Daily Mail: “Ludo threw himself forward to protect a girl and took the bullet.

“She was also shot, but she survived and is in hospital.

Mr Boumbas was described someone who loved people and travelling. “He was just one of life’s good, good people,” they added.

Michael O’Connor a British man who shielded his girlfriend by playing dead for more than an hour.

British man Michael O’Conner was at the Bataclan with his partner when the shootings took place.

The 30-year old said that fans were caught up in a violent crush at the Bataclan’s exits, climbing over each other, clawing and screaming in a panicked, heaving mass.

Mr O’Connor has described how he lay on top of his French girlfriend, Sara Badel Craeye, and told her he loved her as he waited to die.

He told the BBC “There was someone on her head and another person was on my legs, it was a real squash,” he said.

“I thought ‘if we move we are going to be killed’.

As he heard the gunman “fumbling with cartridges” he tried to make another dash for the exit but when the gunfire rang out again, they lay back down.

“That was one of the eerier parts,”

“Just hearing someone methodically reloading his gun so he could start firing at us again. It was terrifying.

“We were whispering to each other that we were going to be ok, to try and stay calm, just gently holding each other’s hands and trying to encourage each other.

“I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t see properly but it sounded like they were firing down from the balcony into the main area where everybody was lying so I guess I thought at some point they are going to shoot us as well.

“I just told my girlfriend that I loved her. What else can you do in that situation? I expected to die.”

Overnight he posted a message to Facebook calling for tolerance.

He added ”We hear reports about terrorism and terrorist attacks all the time on the news but actually going through something like that is indescribable. “

“Me and Sara are both safe now, thanks for all your messages of support.”

“”My thoughts and prayers are with the families of everyone who didn’t make it out alive.”

129 people died in the attacks with a further 200 still critical in hospital.

For more coverage of the Paris attacks:

Waleed Aly: “ISIL is weak… and they don’t want you to know it.”

ISIS ‘mastermind’ behind atrocity that killed 132 is revealed.

“This is not Islam. The ideology of terrorists is hate.”