Three York youngsters have been hailed as good citizens after getting on their bikes and following a suspected thief when a policeman called on them for help.

Evening Press paper deliverers Tania, Alex (centre) and Craig, who chased a suspected thief Picture: Steven Bradshaw

The Evening Press delivery boys and girl didn't hesitate after the officer stumbled while chasing the youth down a side street in Acomb.

Alex, 14, and Craig and Tania, who are both 13, were waiting as usual outside the back of D and M Atherton Newsagents in York Road before setting off on their rounds on Thursday afternoon.

Then Alex said they saw a policeman lose his footing on an uneven surface while trying to chase a youth on a bike down School Street. "He just walked down here and said: 'Can you follow him, see where he went'," he added.

The three of them set off after the youth, though after a while Craig returned to tell the officer which way they had gone and Tania came back at about the same time.

Alex followed the youth for about a mile to the Chapelfields area, where he thought he went into a house.

He said he was not particularly worried about what he was doing, although he was slightly concerned that the youth might realise he was following him.

"We had been told what to do, and seeing as we had bikes we just thought we may as well go for it," said Alex.

"We just tried to do our best."

The three were praised by newsagents manager John Lynch, who got a shock when he went out and found three of his delivery staff were missing.

"Obviously I'm pleased that they have acted like that - although having said that I got quite a few people ringing up asking why the Evening Press was late.

"I don't think they quite believed the story."

He added: "Full marks to them. You often hear about people that when the police are trying to do something they either don't help or actively try to obstruct the police.

"It's nice to see three youngsters acting as any good citizen should."

A York police spokesman said an officer had been trying to apprehend two youths for suspected theft.

He added two paper boys followed one of the offenders to an address which they could identify, which was passed on for the officer to follow up.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.