A SOUTHAMPTON man has been hailed a hero after chasing off a pair of robbers who attacked a man as he walked through a subway in the city.

Dave Kennedy, 20, stepped in to stop the vicious attack on Lang Sharpe, who was punched to the ground and held down while his attackers searched him for valuables.

Today, Mr Sharpe, 25, paid tribute to the good Samaritan, who he said, stopped him from being seriously injured.

"He is a great guy, for stepping in like that. I think it is a very brave thing that he did. Who knows what could have happened if they had carried on."

Mr Sharpe, an Australian who is on a working holiday around Europe, described how he was confronted by the two young men as he walked through the Kingsway underpass after spending the evening watching the World Cup.

Struggle "I use that subway every day to walk to work and didn't think anything of it. As I walked along I saw these two on their bikes and they put them across my path so I couldn't get by. I remember saying something to them like how's it going' and the next thing I remember is them grabbing an arm each.

"They kicked my legs out from under me as I tried to struggle. I remember one of them hitting me in the face.

"When I was on the ground they kicked me again, so in the end I just said to them take what they wanted."

One of the men then took a mobile phone and MP3 player but it was at that point that Mr Kennedy stepped in having heard the cries for help. "I had been helping out at a church youth group when I heard the noise.

"Then I saw these two there and realised what was happening, so I basically confronted them and started having a verbal go at them. They kept saying don't get involved but I saw this guy on the ground with a massive lump on his head and blood all over him, of course I was going to get involved."

He then demanded the pair give Mr Sharpe back his phone prompting them to run off in the direction of Marsh Lane.

Asked if he feared for his own safety at any point, Mr Kennedy, who runs his own clothing business, said: "At one point one of the men put his hands down his pants as if he was going to pull out a knife. But I didn't believe he had one. Hopefully I stopped them beating him up more and stealing his wallet. I'd like to think people would stop to help if it were me."

Police are now hunting the pair, who they believe have struck before in the city. Both were black youths aged between 16 and 17, one was 5ft 6in and had a gaunt face with a clearly defined jawline and chin. He had short, bushy black hair and was wearing blue sweatpants and top. His accomplice was slightly taller with a longer face.

Investigating officer Det Con Dave Riddell praised the actions of Mr Kennedy: "He was extremely brave. I would expect anyone to bring this incident to the attention of police but what Mr Kennedy did certainly prevented Mr Sharpe from further serious injury."

Anyone who has any information about the robbery that happened about 9pm on Thursday or who knows the identity of the robbers can contact officers at Shirley CID on 0845 045 4545 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.