COUNCILLOR Mark Arnold turned good samaritan when his next door neighbour, Julie Wheeler, asked for help after being told that her mother had just been robbed.

Just minutes earlier Julie's 15-year-old daughter, Kelly had rushed to their home in Lansbury Avenue, Parr, to say that her grandparents house, round the corner in Simms Avenue, had just been broken into.

Mum-of-three Julie (32) recalls: "Kelly said a man had been seen running away from the house with my mum's vacuum cleaner and my 10-year-old son Gary's Playstation and games. "I knew Mark had just come home from work so I knocked and asked if he could help." Mark, Labour representative for Parr and Hardshaw, was busy making the tea, but he dropped everything and told the pair to jump in in his car and find the thief.

"We knew the man had headed across Gaskell Park towards the Pennine Drive estate and that another neighbour had chased after him. We quickly found the youth, who was still carrying some of the things he had stolen. We followed him and then asked a local man if he knew his name.

"We phoned the police and when they arrived we were able to give them the information. They quickly arrested the thief, who then confessed and returned the goods.

"My mum and I have had all our belongings returned and Gary is glad to have his Playstation back, it was his favourite Christmas present.

"I can't thank Councillor Arnold enough and I would like to thank all my neighbours and the local police for their help in preventing our year being spoiled by this theft."

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