Hero chases thief after winning bravery award

William Bishop was given the gong at the Golden Helmet Awards, for stopping the man who had stolen from Boots in Cannock town centre.

Judges heard how the 19 year old had reacted to a woman shouting from the store, then chased after the man who later swung a sharp object at him.

After receiving the award at the ceremony in London, William was again caught up in more drama when he chased a man through the city involved in another theft.

William, who is a skip worker living in Heath Hayes, was with his mother, Kerrie, 51, when he started the chase from Euston train station.

She said: "I thought he was winding me up when he came back and said he'd done it again. I was sitting there oblivious while he was on foot chasing more criminals. It's so weird that it's happened again."

The first incident happened in March this year. After the woman's cry, William realised that a man had stolen from the shop and immediately chased after the offender.

He said: "I just randomly started chasing after him, my adrenalin had kicked in."

He added: "I don't like seeing people do that to people who have worked hard. I've seen people steal before and I'd had enough. I had to do something."

When he caught him, the shoplifter swiped at Mr Bishop with a key.

He said: "I started getting worried and thought, it's getting serious now, but I couldn't let him go. He tried to slash my neck, I just kept stepping backwards."

Mr Bishop continued to grab the man's bag which contained needles and stolen goods. The offender ran away but was later arrested by the police.

His mother nominated him for the award for his selflessness, which he received in London on May 31 at the ceremony.

After receiving the award at The Soho Hotel, Mr Bishop who has his arm in a cast went to Euston train station to catch the train home.

And while waiting, William decided to go for a walk and spotted another shoplifter at another Boots store.

He said: "I heard the bleepers go off in the store and jokingly turned to my mum and said, I'll leave it to the professionals."

He added: "I saw security chase after someone but he later came back without them."

William then spotted the thief's friend and decided to follow him through London.

His mother waited in the train station oblivious.

He said: "I just followed him through the streets. Whenever he stopped, I stopped. But then I saw the thief meet him and pass him the stuff. I didn't know what to do."

William currently has one of his hands in a cast after an accident and was "worried" to intervene against two other men, but decided he couldn't let them get away.

He said: "I planned to grab the bag back but his friend kicked me. I let him go and then chased him through the rush hour of London."

He added: "We had to dodge moving cars."

William eventually caught up with the thief and managed to retrieve the goods back with his bad hand before taking the items to the store, leaving the man on the floor.

His mother later explained how she didn't believe him until security guards came to thank him.

She said: "They shook his hand and thanked him, and then asked us why we were in London. They couldn't believe we were there to win an award for the same thing."

William broke his hand and thumb after falling from his bike.

The Golden Helmet Awards were launched to commemorate 30 years of Fireman Sam.