IT was a case of "old" hands to the pump when a car villain struck in Brighton yesterday.

The youth picked on the wrong street and ran foul of two spritely ex-policemen with a combined age of 135.

Former Brighton borough PC Fred Farley, known in his day as "Firey Fred" because of his temper, was washing up when he spotted the thief through his kitchen window getting into a neighbour's car.

Fred, 75, sprang into action and hid behind a garden hedge as he watched the thief getting into his neighbour's Vauxhall Astra in their street in Woodingdean.

He alerted the owner, former Hampshire PC Maurice Abrahams, 60, who jumped into the Astra and chased the thief as he fled up the street.

Mr Abrahams, who saw 18 years' service in the Parachute Regiment before joining the police, said: "He told me he had a knife so I didn't take any chances. I raised an arm in the air to distract him and gave him a swift kick."

He wrestled the thief to the ground and restrained him for five minutes before police arrived.

The two crime-fighters, both members of Neighbourhood Watch, have been praised by police.

Insp Julie Wakeford said: "We do not encourage people to have a go but they did a great job.

"This was a good example of the police and public working in partnership."

Two £1 coins were found missing from Mr Abrahams' car and a 15-year-old was last night being questioned by police.

He is also helping with inquiries in connection with eight other car crimes and burglaries.

Mr Farley, who spent 27 years with Brighton police and was renowned for having the "quickest back-hander on the force", said: "It was all down to teamwork."

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