BATTERED and bruised, this brave postmaster made sure a "hoodie" burglar fled empty-handed - and managed to seize crucial evidence for detectives.

Mick Smith, 50, fought and grappled with the intruder after the criminal jemmied open the front door of the post office-cum-store at Ulleskelf, between Cawood and Tadcaster.

The wrestling match went on for more than five minutes, spilling out on to the middle of the road.

The burglar then managed to escape by wriggling out of his hooded tracksuit top, before dumping his loot and running off.

Mr Smith, who is nearly three times older than the teenage burglar, said today that he did not want to be called a hero.

He said: "There are so many criminals carrying knives these days that I did think afterwards that maybe I shouldn't have done that.

"But it was an instinctive reaction - I'm sure most people would have done the same.

"I didn't think about how old or how big he was. I was protecting myself and my property."

The former Drax Power Station worker ended up with a black eye, grazes and bruises to his elbow and arm, and a sore shoulder that still aches.

The drama unfolded just after midnight last Thursday when father-of-one Mr Smith was woken up by the shop's alarm bell.

He said: "I went downstairs and checked the shop door, which seemed to be okay.

"I went back upstairs and looked out of the landing window and saw someone outside the door.

"I left all the lights off, knocked the alarm off and went round through the back door. By then he had jemmied the frame from the shop door and was inside.

"He had a carrier bag full of fags and when he saw me he dropped everything and made a run for it.

"There was a wrestling match in the shop and we ended up rolling about in the middle of the road."

The thief was then chased down the main street by neighbours, but managed to escape, leaving behind a tyre lever, torch and some of his clothing.

The intruder is described as 18 to 19, about 5ft 10in tall, with collar-length hair.

He was wearing a light blue Reebok top, with dark blue sleeves, and a multi-coloured striped hat with tassles, bearing the number 3.

Anyone with information should phone Selby CID on 01904 669884 and speak to a detective.

Updated: 10:40 Tuesday, August 30, 2005