Two brave neighbours who armed themselves with garden tools to confront a pair of violent masked robbers have each been awarded £100.

The men were today rewarded for their courage which helped to apprehend one of the raiders when he lost his shoe in the scuffle.

Mark Hall and his accomplice were fleeing an address in Low Moor, Bradford, after punching the elderly householder to the floor and raiding £60 from his wallet in front of his terrified wife.

Hall, 50, of Hydale Court, Low Moor, was jailed for a total of 14 years at Bradford Crown Court for the robbery on December 6, 2018, and an aggravated burglary commit-ted nearby on December 30 that year. The court heard that neighbours were alerted to trouble at the home of the elderly couple after the man was knocked down by the intruders. They picked up garden tools and confronted Hall and his accomplice on the drive. After a scuffle, the robbers fled at speed in a car left nearby.

But Hall had lost his training shoe in the commotion and it was recovered by the police from the scene. A mixed DNA profile on it helped to apprehend him, the court heard. The sentencing judge, Recorder Kama Melly QC, praised the two neighbours saying they had played a key role in bringing Hall to justice. Each was rewarded with £100 from public funds.