BRAVE supermarket staff and shoppers who prevented a knifeman attacking a man have been praised by police.

A man ran into Aldi in Stanley to escape his attacker on Thursday evening.

Police said customers prevented the man who was brandishing a lock knife from getting to him.

The suspect was arrested near to the store and a weapon was recovered by police.

A suspect has been charged with several offences and is in custody, due in court before magistrates on Saturday morning.

Stanley Neighbourhood Inspector Dave Stewart said: “I have viewed the CCTV footage from inside the store and I would like to thank on behalf of Durham Constabulary the staff members at Aldi and at least two as yet unidentified members of the public, who had been doing their shopping, who acted incredibly bravely in confronting this individual and protected the second male who was the target of the first male.

“I hope that anyone else who was in the store and witnessed the events can be reassured that this was an issue between two individuals and that the aforementioned bravery of members of the Stanley community ensured that this did not escalate into a tragedy.”