Quick-thinking schoolboys who foiled a burglary were among local heroes to be commended by West Yorkshire's High Sheriff.

Timothy Anderson, 12, and Andrew Holdsworth, ten, were the youngest "good citizens" to be presented with a certificate by High Sheriff FTB Jowitt at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

They earned their award after helping bring a conviction against a burglar.

The pair, of Park Avenue, Thackley, spotted two men breaking into Thackley Cricket Club in May 1997 and quickly scratched the registration of their car on a wall using a brick. They then alerted the police and gave them a detailed description of what the pair were wearing.

High Sheriff Jowitt told those commended: "Some of you have been very courageous indeed and all of you have set a very good example.

"You have shown the sort of vigilance and detection which are essential to society continuing."

Andrew and Timothy, both pupils at Thorpe Middle School, said they felt worried but knew they had to act to foil the thieves.

Andrew's father John Holdsworth said: "I think it's fantastic, writing the number down was really quick-witted of them.

"They've been rewarded by the cricket club and also the police."

Also commended were firefighter Nigel Dickinson and Sub Officer Donald Moore, who with colleagues from Shipley Fire Station helped stop ram raiders stealing from a Shipley motorcycle showroom.

Ishwinder Singh Bharaj, 21, and Nasar Hussain, 21, of Barkerend were recognised for catching a bag snatcher in Bradford city centre.

And ex-paratrooper 71-year-old George Bygrave of Haworth was commended with care worker Stephen Whitaker, 29, for capturing a man who had knocked down and robbed an elderly lady while on a bus in Keighley bus station.

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