Three men who marched an alleged offender to a police station after he acted as a look-out for a shoplifter have been praised by police.

Pharmacist Jonathan Martin, 32, bank employee Robert Bourton, 23, and civil engineer Barry Shrimpton, 42, grabbed hold of a man suspected of acting as an accomplice to a woman shoplifter.

Mr Martin saw the woman, in her early 20s, putting a couple of camera films into her bag at Proctor Pharmacy in Oxford Road, Cowley. He challenged her at the entrance as she attempted to leave.

As he tried to speak to her, a man grabbed him in a bear-hug, swore and threatened him. The woman made off along Cleveland Drive but Mr Martin kept hold of the man, and the others went to his help.

They marched him to nearby Cowley Police Station.

The men's bravery was praised by Pc Steve Gibbens, the officer investigating the case, although he urged members of the public to think carefully before intervening, and not to put themselves at risk.

A 38-year-old man has been released on police bail.