A HAVE-a-go hero flung himself across the bonnet of a getaway car after a thief grabbed £2,000 from an open till at a busy store.

The incident occurred when the raider walked into B&Q on the Northfields Industrial Estate, North Street, Chorley, and paid for a screwdriver.

As the cashier opened the till he knocked her hands away and snatched the cash.

He was chased from the store by several members of staff before making his getaway in a green Ford Sierra driven by an accomplice.

One brave worker threw himself across the bonnet, but was shaken free as the car sped away up North Street.

The thief struck as the store was packed with Bank Holiday Monday shoppers.

Store manager Richard Cooper said: "Obviously we don't recommend that our staff members try to stop people getting away, but this was a spur of the moment thing and was very brave.

"The shop was very busy because of the time of year and because it was a Bank Holiday.

"The cashier was obviously scared and is very shaken up.

"Three or four staff members chased the thief out of the shop and tried to open the car door, but he drove away quickly before they had a chance.

"This kind of thing is very unusual at B&Q and the main thing is that none of our staff were injured."

B&Q bosses visited the store on Tuesday to launch an internal investigation into the incident. Police are currently trying to trace the getaway car.

The heroic assistant, a part-time worker at the store, is said to be shaken but otherwise uninjured.

A description of the thieves has not yet been released.