Members of the public helped foil an armed robbery at a shop after holding onto a suspect until police arrived.

Two men carrying a machete and a baseball bat went into Spar on Abbey Road in Lower Gornal at around 10pm on Monday night. One jumped over the counter to take cigarettes and cash while the second, carrying the machete, threatened workers and demanded they open a safe.

He then fled the shop with money, leaving the man with the bat behind the counter. Passers-by held the door shut, preventing him from leaving. 

He eventually smashed his way out and onto Abbey Street. He tried to smash his way into a woman’s car, but was detained by residents until police arrived.

The second man fled in a silver Rover, but left the cash at the scene. DC Cal Sanders, from Force CID, said:

"The suspect was detained as he was smashing the windows of a vehicle parked outside the shop, in order get the keys and make good his escape. This vehicle had a lone woman inside who was showered in the glass and she is obviously shaken up by the incident. 

"Passers-by have intervened and detained the suspect at the scene. Without the public’s help, I very much doubt that he would have been caught."

The second suspect was wearing dark clothing and gloves, in his late teens to early 20s, possibly white, and of slim build. He was around 5ft 5ins tall, wearing a grey knitted scarf over his face with the eyes cut out.

A man aged 31 and from Tipton is in custody today on suspicion of robbery.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police on 101, quoting crime number 20DY/227786F/17.