A SHOPLIFTER was dramatically wrestled to the ground in Southampton city centre by shop staff today.

The man was brought to the ground outside Tesco Express in London Road with packets of crisps spilling to the ground.

He then began threatening his restrainers that he would stab them before repeating the threat to police who were forced to tie the man's legs and hand cuff him in front of a shocked crowd.

He was taken head-first into a police van, arrested and detained at Southampton Central following the incident which unfolded at 1.50pm.