New British citizen hailed as Superman for stopping masked attacker at church in St Paul's Cray (From News Shopper)

New British citizen hailed as Superman for stopping masked attacker at St Barnabas Church in St Paul's Cray

3:17pm Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Bromley By Robert Fisk

JUST hours after a man became a British citizen he became a ‘hero’ by tackling an armed masked man who was attacking a pensioner after smashing up a church last night (July 31).

People had come out of their houses in Rushet Road, St Paul’s Cray, after hearing windows being smashed by a man wearing a rubber mask which had a Mohican haircut attached.

Richard Elliott heard what was happening and ran over to St Barnabas Church to help a man, who has been named as Stephen, tackle the masked attacker.

The father of three said: “The guy had gone beserk.

“He had smashed the front windows with a recycling bin and I shouted at him to leave it out.

“Then he went across to the vicarage and came back with a mask and a bit of concrete and went to the church.”

After Mr Elliott had directed the ambulances to the scene he saw Stephen confronting the masked man.

He added: “Stephen took a blow to the head and I helped him with first aid because he was bleeding quite heavily.

“The guy was wielding something which looked like a block of metal.

“There was quite a lot of screaming and hysteria.

“I just wanted to help and did not want to see anyone get hurt.”

Stephen and Mr Elliott managed to bring the guy to the ground and hold him until the police arrived.

Mr Elliott added: “The guy’s hand was bleeding and when we got him to the floor there was quite a lot of blood on him.

“It was distressing for everyone.

“I had never met Stephen before and he said he had just got his British citizenship that day.

“I said welcome to the country, do not expect this every day.

And eyewitness Joy Roberts, 60, said: “We were waiting for the police to arrive and that is when the black man, who I had never seen before, ran over to try and stop the man attacking the woman.

“The black man was like Superman coming to the rescue.”

The woman who was being attacked was part of a barbershop group Velvet Harmony which had been rehearsing in the church hall.

She was taken to hospital along with five other people, including Stephen who was suffering from concussion.

A Bromley police spokesman says they were called to the scene at around 8.20pm yesterday to reports of a man with a machete smashing the church windows.

None of the injuries were caused by the machete.

A 56-year-old was arrested for assault and criminal damage and he was taken to hospital for treatment for a hand injury.

He has since been discharged and is now being held at Bromley Police Station.