A POLICE officer from North Yorkshire ended up working some unexpected overtime while on holiday.

Traffic Constable Rick Harper and friend Darrin Gordon, were walking through the streets of Sliema, in Malta, when they heard a high-pitched scream from a salesgirl and saw a man run out of the nearby Sterling Jewellers shop.

“My instinct took over,” said Mr Harper.

“The girl was screaming and he was running, so we knew something was wrong.”

The holidaymakers gave chase as the runner threw expensive rings and jewellery into the street, before eventually catching the man and marching him back to the shop until local police arrived about five minutes later.

Mr Harper, whose usual patch is the Harrogate area, said: “When we caught him I immobilised him and took him back to the jewellers.

“He spoke to us in English and asked us to let him go, but obviously we didn’t.”

Police in Malta confirmed they had arrested a Maltese man in connection with the crime, and were still looking for another man, thought to be Russian.

They also confirmed that the jewellery, which consisted of a case of gold rings, necklaces and bracelets, was valued at several thousand euros.

Mr Harper said: “No one tried to help us or told us anything, but we heard someone shout ‘hero’ when we were leaving.”

A spokesman from North Yorkshire Police said: “The force is very proud of Rick and we are fortunate that we have officers like him in our ranks.

“His brave actions were in the best traditions of the police service in this country and goes to show that no police officer is ever off duty.”