Five alleged sex abuse victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have formed a close bond since their allegations were aired on TV.

And the group told how the late Harrods tycoon would be infuriated by their friendship after claiming he tried to silence them while alive. Nicole, Jen, Lindsay, Katherine and Gemma featured in BBC documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, which revealed a string of rape and abuse ­allegations against him.

The Harrods ­Sur­­vivors group said it is aware of 421 claims made in the wake of the show. Nicole, who was Al Fayed’s executive ­assistant between 2005 and 2007 while in her 30s, claimed she endured daily sexual harassment and assault at his hands. And she said he would be “incandescent with rage” if he knew she had become pals with the other accusers.

Nicole said: “We weren’t allowed to talk to each other. We weren’t allowed to share things. We weren’t allowed to share ­experiences. We weren’t allowed to become friends. He created that environment purposely so that he could get away with doing what he wanted. So, yeah, he’d be enraged. And I think that’s fantastic.”
Nicole, Jen, Lindsay, Katherine and Gemma said their friendship would infuriate Al Fayed

Lindsay claimed the billionaire sexually abused her daily when she was his personal assistant between 1989 and 1990. She also alleged he tried to rape her on a trip to Paris. Lindsay added: “The camaraderie that we’ve built between us now has really given us a lot of empowerment. I just don’t think that we would be this far along in our recovery had we not got each other.”

She told how after September’s documentary, the women set up a group chat on the messaging app Signal, named Stronger Together. Lindsay said: “We draw strength from that. If we’ve got any worries, we put it on, everyone’s got your back. I’m feeling much stronger because we are part of a collective of fabulous, strong women.”

Gemma, a PA for Al Fayed from 2007 to 2009, added: “No one can understand what we’ve been through and the impact it has had, other than these women and the other women in the group.”

Alleged victims claim that they were “required” to have invasive tests for sexually transmitted diseases by a doctor, who then shared the results with Al Fayed. He is also accused of deploying Harrods staff, a former senior Met Police officer, lawyers and PR agents to threaten women, and of spying by using hidden cameras and bugs.

Scotland Yard has said 21 alleged victims came forward to accuse Al Fayed of abuse before his death but no charges were ever brought.