Pensioner thwarts would-be robber who tried to grab bag of cash in Maghull....

The HSBC Bank, Westway, Maghull

Passers-by intervene to chase off offender

A brave pensioner thwarted a would-be robber who tried to grab a bag of cash he was about to pay in at a bank.

The victim, who is in his 70s, was confronted by the man just after he had parked his car at the rear of HSBC near Central Square, Maghull at 9.30am this morning.

He tried to snatch a bag which contained money from a church collection but the man resisted.

During a brief struggle several passers-by saw what was happening and intervened to chase the robber away.

The pensioner was left shaken and with a minor injury to his hand but declined an ambulance – and then went in to the bank to pay in his money and raise the alarm.

One man, who works in a shop nearby, said: “Apparently a man had a bag with the church takings in and someone has ran up to him and tried to grab it.

“I think someone butted in to help and then the lad ran off. Luckily he didn’t take any of the money. I think the man had a few scratches.”

A woman said: “They had a bit of a scuffle with the bag and I think it’s pulled at the man’s hands and hurt him.

“I think the bank manager from the HSBC took him into the bank afterwards to check he was OK.”

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: “Police patrols searched the area and are now carrying out CCTV enquiries at the scene.”

The robber, who ran off in the direction of the Coach and Horses pub, is described as a white man in his mid-20s, around 5ft 10in tall, of medium to stocky build with a chiselled face and stubble.

He was wearing a dark blue hooded top with a fluorescent yellow workman’s vest over the top of it and blue jeans.

Anyone who witnessed the attempted robbery is asked to call Sefton CID on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.