AN ex-army engineer jumped out of his car to chase down a shoplifter and tackle another man with a knife — but the store decided not to prosecute.

Skott Martyn, from Farnworth, was driving up to the traffic lights in Black Horse Street to grab a spot of lunch from Morrisons on Sunday when he saw a man with a bag running out of the store being chased by a store security guard and another member of staff.

The 38-year-old sprung into action, stopping his car and jumping out to give chase to the culprit sprinting down the road.

Footage caught on Mr Martyn's dash cam showed the shoplifter running into the road and round the back of a white car before he came to a halt and surrendered to Mr Martyn and the security guard, who marched the offender back to Morrisons.

He said: "I caught right up to him when he dropped the bags on the floor and I screamed at him 'stop, stand still' and he did.

"He absolutely froze. I grabbed the bag, which was full of bottles of whisky. It was just really strange how he suddenly froze."

But after the man was lead away, the staff were then threatened by a man who had a knife in his waistband and Mr Martyn, who had turned to go back to his abandoned car, looked back and ran back towards the group.

He then grabbed the man with the knife around the chest and threw him to the floor.

After security guards got the situation under control, Mr Martyn moved his car from the middle of the junction and managed to flag down a police officer who accompanied him to the store.

But then they learned that staff had decided not to press charges on the two men and thanked Mr Martyn for his heroic efforts with a £10 store voucher.

He said: "I could not just sit back and watch something like that happen. I love Bolton, it's our town, it does not belong to this thieves.

"Hopefully I can send out a message to people and let them know that they will not get away with it.

"I am ex-army so this is just part of my nature. I just do not like seeing things happen."

But he did say he was a bit annoyed that Morrisons had not pressed charges on the individuals.

He said: "The officer seemed a bit upset about it and it angered me quite a bit."

Mr Martyn, who lives with his wife in Highfield, was formerly a royal engineer in the army.

He retired from life in the forces and set up his own handyman business SM Services.