I was looking forward to meeting my old friend John in our regular meeting place, Keystones restaurant in the centre of Worcester.

It was my day off and it was a bright sunny day on Thursday, December 14th last year (2006) and after chatting over old times with John I planned on picking up a couple of last minute Christmas presents - something for my mum and a tin of luxury biscuits from M&S for a friendly neighbour.

John used to be in the police and I always enjoyed his company and his stories about crime fighting.

I am a bit of a frustrated police officer myself having applied years ago to join but never having gone through with it after landing a job as a store detective.

I did that job for 15 years but work behind the counter of a chemists now in Worcester City centre.

I like to keep fit and healthy and because it was a nice morning I decided to walk in to the city from my two bedroomed terrace house.

I’ve never married and live alone apart from my two dogs - my Labrador Lucy and mongrel Pixie - they are my pride and joy. I planned on buying them some Christmas treats as well.

I am very proud of the fact that I was born and bred in Pembrokeshire in Wales, and I was carrying my Tenby Observer heavy duty plastic carrier bag with a roll up umbrella inside it - I had no idea it was to come in handy later - but not for keeping the rain off.

I was crossing the New Road Bridge into the city thinking about which shop to go to first when I saw two police officer sprinting down the road towards me.

I looked again and saw they were chasing a man who looked absolutely exhausted - he was about fifty feet away and heading straight towards me.

I had no idea what he had done or why he was being chased for and before I could gather my thoughts another lady who was ahead of me stepped towards him as if she was going to tackle him.

But he just body swerved her and kept coming towards me at a rate of knots. And he was a biggish chap - about six foot I would guess.

He was running down the middle of the road and at that point my old store detective instincts just took over.

Just like the other lady had done I stepped towards him only this time I managed to grab hold of him.

He put up a struggle but I just hung on to him.

Apparently CCTV footage of the incident later showed me clouting him over the head with my carrier bag - the weight of my umbrella must have helped me give it a good swing.

Anyway, it all happened so fast I just can’t really remember what I did to be honest, although I suppose the CCTV footage doesn’t lie.

I held onto him for a couple of seconds - just long enough as it turned out because as he escaped my grip the driver of a white van pulled up and jumped out and grabbed him.

The driver got him in a head lock up against the bridge railings and shouted at me to hold his arm behind his back which I was only too happy to do.

At that moment loads of police on foot and in cars descended on us from every direction.

The man they were after was still struggling and I felt like saying to him: ”I’ve got you now mate” but I decided to keep quiet instead.

Just before the police handcuffed him he looked over his shoulder at me with a look on his face that said: “I can’t believe I’ve just been nicked by a granny.”

I’m not a granny but I know how he must have felt because I found out afterwards that he had managed to evade more than 20 police officers during a six-minute chase across the city until I crossed his path.

It all happened so fast I didn’t have time to be frightened but I know my adrenalin was pumping because I felt a bit excited afterwards.

The police officers took some details from me in case I was going to be needed as a witness and that was that.

The police told me afterwards the fugitive was a man called Joshua Bough aged 23 who was being chased over a previous assault on police officers and possession of an offensive weapon. He was later convicted of both offences. I wasn’t needed in court but I would have gone along willingly.

I don’t think of myself as being a hero or being brave. I only did what came instinctively.

And I still made it on time to meet up with my friend John for a cup of tea.

My first words to him we: “You won’t believe what has just happened to me.”

It was my turn to tell John about my crime fighting exploits for a change.

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