A HERO grandad has been given a bravery award for thwarting an armed robber.
Alf Thompson, aged 60, of Sandy Lane, Prestatyn, tackled a hooded knife raider while he was shopping at a corner shop in Salford.
The grandfather of seven then disarmed the man holding a knife to the throat of a terrified shop assistant.
Greater Manchester Police nominated the former lecturer for a Police Public Bravery Award after the attempted robberly last November.
“I went to the local mini mart for a paper,” said Mr Thompson, who is a member of Civil War re-enactment group Sealed Knot.
“I heard swearing. I heard a man shout ‘if you don’t open the till, I’ll cut your throat.’
“I told him he didn’t need the knife and we could get the till open and get him what he wanted so he could go.
“He then became aggressive towards me.
“Something snapped and I thought I was 20 again. I grabbed his hand dragged him over the counter and took the knife from him.
“I held him on the floor and was waiting for the police to arrive.”
During the scuffle the robber produced a second knife and Mr Thompson had to disarm him a second time.
“I managed to get the second knife,” he said.
The raider was sentenced to four years after pleading guilty to the attempted robbery.
In January Mr Thompson, a former youth club leader, retired from his post as a psychology lecturer at Salford City College.
He said: “I do not think bravery is pre-meditated. I think it was a spur of the moment thing.
“The really brave people are the servicemen and women in the Armed Forces.
“In the cold light of day, I thought to myself, ‘what a fool’. He was 20 years younger than me.”
Mr Thompson said: “If it wasn’t for the re-enactment group I couldn’t of done it. It is never real when we learn how to deal with knives and swords but the movements are for real.”
Wife of 39 years Sheeonah added: “I’m very proud of him.”