Police have praised a customer and staff at a Black Country convenience store for foiling two armed robbers last night.

Two men brandishing metal bars ran into One Stop in Worcester Street, Stourbridge, just after 10pm and demanded cash from the till.

However, the pair were overpowered by a male customer and, with help from staff, detained until police arrived minutes later to arrest them.

Officers arrested a third man, the suspected getaway driver, after stopping a stolen car near the junction with New Road shortly after the botched robbery.

The men – aged 35, 50 and 53 and all from Dudley – have been arrested on suspicion of robbery while the driver will also be questioned on suspicion of car theft.

Detectives are also looking into whether the men stole goods from the Sainsbury’s Local store in Wollaston and Co-Op in Glebe Lane, Norton, earlier in the evening. Detective Inspector Ade George from Force CID, said:

“The men were armed and made threats of violence against staff, demanding they opened the till and hand over takings.

“But it appears a male customer stepped in to tackle the men who were then detained for around five minutes until officers arrived to make arrests.

“Together they did a brilliant job in helping us apprehend two suspects – and with the support of a witness, who provided the registration number of a Volvo seen driving away from the scene, our officers quickly arrested a third man.”

All three men remain in police custody.

Any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police are urged to call West Midlands Police Force CID at Brierley Hill police station on 101.