A DETERMINED dad chased a thief for 20 minutes in his slippers.

Now, David Matthews has been praised by police chiefs in Bury for his tenacity which resulted in a young offender receiving a 60 hour community punishment order.

The 35-year-old had been drinking at home into the early hours in December last year and was standing in his back yard at 5am having a cigarette when a car alarm was activated.

As he popped his head round the garden gate to see what was going on, a man carrying a screw driver and holding a stereo cassette player under his armed walked past.

"I knew straight away that the man had broken into a neighbour's car," said David, of Wellbank Street, Tottington.

"I started running after him and he was dodging between cars trying to avoid me.

" I don't like these sorts of things to happen so I just kept going after him. I had my slippers on."

The engineer eventually grabbed hold of the thief and frog-marched him back to his home.

He was still holding the offender in an arm lock when he used a phone near the kitchen door to call the police.

He said: "The lad was swearing a lot and telling me to leave him alone. I told him to sit down in the yard and we waited for the police who arrived soon after. I wouldnt hesitate to do it again."

Chief Superintendent Garry Shewan, head of Bury police, presented David with a Divisional Commanders Award. Mr Shewan said: "It takes a brave person these days to actually do what David did.

"I think he displayed great courage."