AMAZING CCTV footage captures the moment a member of the public tripped up a thug fleeing with a stolen charity box.

The unknown hero stepped in to stop the charging criminal after he'd pinched a British Heart Foundation box at a branch of Subway in Hull Paragon Interchange station.

Joshua Starkey, 23, was later tracked down by cops and slapped with a 16-week prison sentence for the bungled theft.

Video of the incident shows Starkey skulk into the Subway and approach the unmanned tills.

He then slyly puts his hand over the charity box as a member of staff approaches him.

Starkey panics and wrenches the box off the counter in a bid to make a speedy getaway, yanking the till's monitor and other display items on to the shop floor.

But as he sprints away from the scene of the crime, a plucky pedestrian spots Starkey and sticks a single leg out to stop him dead in his tracks.

Starkey crashes to the concrete and drops his loot on the pavement, which the hero quickly stands over to save the cash.

The cowardly thief then gets up and legs it as the brave citizen hands the cash back to the Subway employee.

Even though Starkey fled the scene, cops quickly identified him and put him in handcuffs for criminal damage and theft - which he admitted at court.

He was ordered to pay £85 costs in addition to his custodial sentence.

And he was also given a five-year prison sentence in relation to other defences investigated by Humberside Police.

PC Paul Hobman from British Transport Police said: "A huge congratulations are in order for the courageous member of the public who quite literally stepped in to prevent Starkey from stealing money which was intended for a good cause.

"Starkey’s actions in attempting to steal a charity collection box were disgraceful and I am pleased the judge imposed a prison sentence. I hope that his days of offending are behind him."