Roofers to the rescue: Kettering brothers help detain vandal until police arrive

Two brothers who saw men in balaclavas smashing a car in Kettering have been described as heroes after they ran to help and detained a man until the police arrived.

Brothers Dean Stacey and Sam Wildman who work for Normanson Roofing, were leaving the company's yard in St Andrew's Street on Friday, May 1 when they saw two men with their faces covered in Eden Street.

Sam said: "We thought, that seems a bit dodgy." The roofers said at first they worried if the two men might be on their way to their yard, but Dean said: "That's when we saw they've started smashing someone's car."

They said a man had picked up a stone and was smashing the windows of the car.

The brothers sprung to action, Dean said: "We jumped out of the van and chased after them."

They said another person came out to help and they managed to catch one of the men and held him until police arrived.

Dean said: "He was trying to struggle a bit, but there was three of us there."

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: "At 1.40pm on Friday, May 1, we received reports of a man smashing the windows of a red Vauxhall Vectra with a rock in Eden Street, Kettering.

"The man was detained by two members of the public before police arrived."

Thomas Charles Smith, 51, of no fixed abode, has been charged with criminal damage in connection with the incident and will be appearing at Northampton Magistrates' Court on June 22.

Sam said: "The woman whose car it was is an NHS worker. We weren't letting that happen, we wouldn't let that happen to anyone. I don't want stuff like that going on where we work."

Dean said: "It was a bit surreal, not what you expect. One of the strangest days roofing!"

Normanson Roofing is owned by Justin Carter. His wife, Kate Gill-Carter said they are really proud of the two brothers.

"It's absolutely amazing, we are very proud to have staff like that."