Three courageous have-a-go heroes have been praised for foiling an armed raid on a Folkestone pawnbrokers in March.

The trio – including a director of the shop which was attacked – were invited to a special ceremony to meet Kent’s High Sheriff, William Alexander, and receive certificates and cash rewards.

The robbery took place at Pickwick Pawnbrokers in Sandgate Road in March when two men wearing crash helmets smashed a front window with breeze blocks.

Company Director Vincent Way later told police how he heard a bang and saw a hole and then injured himself as he help prevent the robbers from snatching stock.

"I used the extinguisher to knock their bike over and then saw one of the men raise the axe above his right shoulder as if to swing it" - Gary Cairns

“One of the men put his hand through the window and I could see he was holding an axe.”

Nearby, shoe repairer Gary Cairns heard the raid taking place and grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran at the thieves.

“I thought I would discharge the fire extinguisher at them to disorientate them but I couldn’t get the safety security tag off.

“So I used the extinguisher to knock their bike over and then saw one of the men raise the axe above his right shoulder as if to swing it.

“He came towards me in a threatening manner and I felt scared and raised the extinguisher in front of my face to protect myself.”

The brave Mr Cairns was then hit by the bike and he looked up to see the axe man above him.

He recalled: “I was lying on the floor thinking ‘God, don’t hit me’ and I raised the extinguisher again to protect myself.”

Former soldier Anthony West was with his partner Karen Miller shopping in Sandgate Road when he saw the raid.

After taking a picture of the robbers, he ran towards the robbers where he saw Mr Cairns.

“I then went to grab the second robber who then swung his axe from left to right aiming at my chest.

“I had been in the army for 13 years and have come across violent people before. And although at the time I wasn’t scared, it was only afterwards you realise the potential harm that could have been caused to me.”

As the robbers fled towards Cheriton Place, Mr West gave chase and pushed the scooter over and saw the men throw away their helmets and balaclavas.

The raiders Billy Puckey, and Darren Wickham, both 24 and from London, were each jailed for four and a half years at Canterbury Crown Court after admitting robbery, dangerous driving and possessing an offensive weapon in public.

Judge Adele Williams, who recommended the three for the awards, praised the recipients for their bravery telling them that handing out High Sheriff Awards was “one of my favourite duties”.

She added: “Putting aside this court’s daily dose of misery, theft, greed, lust and general mayhem, which sometimes shows us the worst of human nature, and celebrate the good things many people do and restores our faith in human nature.”