Revealed: How an ex-SAS man and a former Irish Ranger kept their cool to rescue dozens of Kenyan mall hostages amid official panic At least 67 people died when al-Shabaab gunman stormed the building Children as young as five were shot up to five times by the terrorists The brave actions of the two men have highlighted the failings of the government response to the attack By Tara Brady Witnesses have described how an ex-SAS and a former Irish Ranger helped to organise the rescue mission which saved dozens of hostages during the Nairobi shopping mall attack. In total at least 67 people died when al-Shabaab gunman carried out the siege at Westgate in Nairobi on September 21. Children as young as five were shot up to five times by the terrorists. In total at least 67 people died when al-Shabaab gunman carried out the siege at Westgate in Nairobi on September 21 But it has emerged that two security consultants took control of the rescue mission before authorities turned up which helped to save dozens of lives, according to The Sunday Times. Mark and John, whose real names have not been disclosed, managed to make their way into the underground car park where they discovered 100 people cowering behind an armoured cash-delivery truck. Despite heavy gunfire, Mark, who served in the British Army for 18-years and John, a former ranger, instructed them to safety and out of the building. They then took the decision to climb down the fire escape and into Java House coffee shop with plain-clothed Kenyan police reservists and two officers with AK-47 assault rifles. Children as young as five were shot up to five times by the terrorists that carried out the Westgate mall massacre Witnesses recalled seeing a white man in a checked shirt trying to persuade people onto a fire escape. Many didn't want to leave their loved ones behind but without the courage of the two men they would not have survived. However, the brave actions of the two men have highlighted the failings of the government response to the attack. The authorities have come under fire for its response to the terrorist attack. Unsung heroes: According to witnesses an ex-SAS and a former Irish Ranger helped to organise the rescue mission They have been accused of failing to secure the roof area quick enough which could have prevented a number of deaths and witnesses say it took hours for a police cordon to be put up around the building. When more officers began to arrive, Mark and John decided to leave but found themselves back inside the mall after they received a text from a friend saying they knew someone trapped inside. Again, with no thought to their own lives they made their way inside the building and rescued the man. This month security camera footage of soldiers appearing to loot goods was uncovered. Kenyans had initially praised troops for their courage in battling the Somali attackers. The footage shows the soldiers with plastic shopping bags leaving the Nakumatt supermarket, where prosperous Kenyans could buy anything from TV sets to French cheese, at a time when the Islamist rebels were still holed up inside the mall. The September 21 attack - the worst on Kenyan soil since al Qaeda bombed the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi in 1998, killing more than 200 people - initially united Kenya's multi-ethnic community and sparked an outpouring of support for the military. But support for security services evaporated as shop owners returned to the mall to find their stores ransacked, with many reporting phones, expensive Swiss watches and designer suits stolen. Cash from tills was also missing, traders said.