FORMER "zero tolerance" detective Ray Mallon returned to his policing days when he saw a woman being chased by a man, it was revealed yesterday.

The ex-head of Middlesbrough CID, now the town's mayor, wrestled the man to the ground and sat on him until police arrived.

Mr Mallon, 46, sprung into action as he strolled around Hartlepool Marina after visiting former colleagues.

He spotted a woman running out of a block of flats who tried to get into a car but was hauled out by the man.

The man then smashed another car's rear light before the mayor, who had initially tried to calm the man down, sprang into action.

Mr Mallon wrestled him to ground in a headlock and sat on him while bystanders called the police.

He said yesterday: "I am sure other members of the public would have reacted in exactly the same way to assist this lady.

"What was very pleasing was that during the incident several members of the public approached and offered their assistance.

"I do believe the public should intervene to assist the police as long as they feel it is safe to do so."

Mr Mallon was at the centre of the controversial Operation Lancet inquiry which looked at alleged malpractice within the force.

Despite being cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, he was found guilty of disciplinary matters.

The incident is not the first time Mr Mallon, who was elected mayor in May, has "had a go" while off duty.

In 1997, also in Hartlepool, he chased and caught a youth who was trying to steal his car.