Supermarket staff and a customer tackled a violent shoplifter after he assaulted a woman police officer.

The incident happened at around 2.20pm yesterday at the Sainsbury’s store in Trinity Street in the town centre.

Witness David Walker, of Morris Green, said: “The police officer was in the process of stopping this guy but he head-butted her in the face and she fell to the floor.

“A shop assistant went up to him but he threw her to one side. Then this other man just calmly walked up and grabbed him. He put him in an arm lock and detained him until more police arrived.”

The woman police officer had a suspected broken nose and was taken to hospital for treatment.

A police spokesman said a man had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

Police confirmed that supermarket staff, members of the public, security staff and an off-duty police officer were all involved in detaining the man.