A HAVE-A-GO hero's head was kicked and stamped on when he tried to stop a masked robber.

The 29-year-old man, who has not been named, wrestled with the raider who threatened a shop assistant with a knife at Taylor's off-licence on Tuesday night.

The shop assistant and the customer attempted to detain the knifeman until police arrived. But their fight spilled out on to Atherton Road, Hindley, where two women tried to defend the robber.

A gang of men got out of a car, freed the masked man and attacked the customer, kicking and stamping on him as he lay on the floor.

The gang fled in the car. The customer suffered a broken nose and bruising and a suspected broken cheek and skull but refused hospital treatment.

Police on Wednesday arrested a 20-year-old man and two women aged 20 and 18 in relation to the incident. They are being questioned by detectives.