Ann Timson, a  71 year old armed only with a handbag, thought someone was in trouble and came running, taking on six young men armed with hammers:

A British grandmother who “clobbered” a gang of sledgehammer-wielding jewel thieves with her handbag credited her “mother’s instinct” for spurring her into action.

Ann Timson, 71, was captured on video hitting three of the six helmet-clad robbers, causing one to fall off his moped as he tried to make his escape during the botched raid in Northampton, central England.

“I saw a kid run up to the doorway of the jeweller,” Ms Timson said.

“Three lads followed him and when I saw their arms going, I thought the kid was being beaten up.

“My mother’s instinct kicked in and I ran across the road shouting at the lads to stop it.

“As I got closer I saw it was a robbery, and then I was even more angry,” the former market trader added.

“One of the gang shot off… I clobbered him with my shopping.

“I landed several blows against one lad… and brought him to the ground.

“He raised a hammer to me so I kept hitting out. It seemed to be over in seconds.”

There a few versions of this video, but this one, with Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory, and the words of Churchill in the background, captures it best. It is because of the courage of people like Ann that England is a land of hope, and because ordinary people like her step in when needed that Churchill’s words still ring true today:

Sorry -the version with Elgar and Churchill has been removed from Youtube. This is the same video, though.