A 'Have-a go' father was so furious about the theft of his son's mountain bike he chased after the thief - and made not one citizen's arrest, but two.

The incident happened on Bank Holiday Monday when the man's son, who is 14, was riding in Clifton Moor, York.

He was approached by a youth who asked for his bike. He refused, so he was pushed off and the youth rode away on it.

The victim's mother, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, explained: "My husband was very angry, so he and a friend went to look for the lad who did it. They found him a short distance away, but he tried to ride off.

"He fell off the bike so my husband chased him, rugby tackled him to the floor and made a citizen's arrest."

The two pursuers then put the thief into the back of their car to take him to a police station.

Along the way, they flagged down and stopped a police car, but the thief ran off - only to be chased again by the angry father.

His wife added: "He rugby tackled him again, and this time the police arrested him and took him away. Unfortunately he injured his hand quite badly in the process and has had to have an operation on it, but he still said he is glad he did it.

A police spokesman said: "The gentleman did well to detain the alleged offender."

* A 19-year-old youth has been bailed to return to Fulford Road police station in York in connection with an alleged theft of a mountain bike.

Updated: 11:19 Thursday, May 31, 2001