BRITAIN'S Got Talent winner George Sampson chased down a thief on London’s Southbank yesterday, Monday, rushing to the aid of woman who had been targeted by thieves.

Former Birchwood High pupil George, 22, said that he was practicing free-running with a friend near the IMAX cinema when they heard a woman screaming that two men had stolen money in a street scam.

The thieves split up and a police officer began chasing one of the men.

George said: “We were sat on the wall and we thought they are not going to catch him, so [Harry] said shall we go? We bolted after him.”

George and his friend chased the thief for more than half a mile along the Southbank before they caught him and put him under a citizen’s arrest while they waited for the police to catch up.

“The police officers shook our hands, the woman come over and gave us a big cuddle,” said George.

“It was her son’s money and he was absolutely distraught, he was crying his eyes out.”

“I have to give most of the credit to Harry. He was the one that said let’s do it.”

But George’s girlfriend and mum were not so pleased with his heroics and said the thief could have been carrying a knife.

“When I told my girlfriend she said I was an idiot and when I told my mum she said I was an idiot,” said George.

“[Free running] does pay off and we had a little joke actually – are they going to arrest us for free running on private property?!”

Ella Mason is the woman who George and Harry helped and she took to Facebook to thank him personally: “Thank you ever so much for your help today, it was me and my boy.”

Ian Duncan, one of the police officers involved in the incident, also thanked George for his bravery: “Well done to you and your friend. Takes guts to put yourself in harm’s way to help a complete stranger! Wish there were more like you!”