have-a-go hero
n.— «Mr. Smeaton’s celebrity reflects the general relief across Britain that no one was injured in the Glasgow attack, or in the previous day’s attempt to detonate two cars in London. His description of the attack in early news videos showed him as what the Brits call a “have-a-go hero,” basically a selfless everyman.» —“Meet John Smeaton: One Kick and He Is The Hero of Glasgow” by Alistair MacDonald, Ian McDonald in Glasgow, Scotland Wall Street Journal July 7, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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