THREE suspected robbers have been arrested after alert officers swooped within six minutes following a street attack.

Northumbria Police sprang into action after receiving a call from a member of the public who claimed a fight had broken out on Temple Park Road, in South Shields, shortly after 3.15am on Wednesday.

It was reported that a man was on the ground and being attacked by three others. The attackers then hopped over a fence and made off from the scene, leaving their victim in the road.

The detailed report given by the resident allowed officers to be deployed to the scene – with officers arriving within six minutes of the original 999 call being made.

The victim, 24, was found nearby and was taken to hospital as a precaution after suffering injuries to his eye and bruises. He also alleged that his attackers – all of whom were believed to be known to him – had stolen his mobile phone.

A quick search of the area led to cops spotting three men who matched the description of the alleged attackers at Tyne Dock Metro Station.

The males, one of whom was aged 18 and the other two aged 17, were arrested on suspicion of robbery and taken into custody. Upon searching the suspects, police also found one to be in possession of a Class C drug.

Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Robson, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was a serious incident that saw a man attacked and robbed in the early hours of the morning.

“Thankfully, a member of the public heard the commotion outside and rightly contacted us. Their actions allowed us to deploy officers to the scene quickly to ensure the victim was located and vital evidence secured.

“What followed was some excellent police work as officers searched the area, aided by the information supplied by the witness and victim, and it was only a matter of time before we spotted three men who roused suspicion near Tyne Dock Metro Station.

“They were then placed under arrest and now remain in police custody where they will be interviewed in connection with the attack.

“I’d like to thank the member of the public who alerted us to this incident, as well as our officers who trusted their instinct and were able to quickly identify three suspects and put them in handcuffs.

“We will not tolerate violence on our streets and will use every tactic at our disposal to ensure offenders are identified, arrested and ultimately put before the courts.”

Inquiries are ongoing into the incident.

Anyone who sees anything suspicious should contact 101. If a crime is happening or in an emergency, always ring 999.