A HAVE-A-GO hero who tackled a gang of masked raiders during a terrifying armed robbery told yesterday of his ordeal.

Father-of-three Wayne Jones received black eyes after he was coshed with a security box during Monday's raid on a Securicor van at the Halifax bank in Newport city centre.

Mr Jones, 42, from the Newport area, appeared at a news conference to help police appeal for information to track down the "ruthless" gang of three black men and one white man.

They stole a substantial amount of money after shooting a Securicor guard in the leg with a handgun and escaping in a dark coloured Mitsubishi Evol-ution VIII, a high performance saloon.

The divorced production-line foreman originally from Cardiff relived the horror of being caught up in the raid, over in a matter of minutes, as he deposited money in his account.

He said: "Two men came running in like a bat out of hell and headed for the back of the bank where the cashiers are. Something was shouted. "I could see the security guard and the guy with the money box was coming and I tried to prevent him from leaving.

"I grabbed him and during the struggle I got hit in the face with the money box.

"I had blood coming out of my head and I was on the floor. "It took place very, very quickly and everybody seemed to freeze." Mr Jones joked that he was left with "a nice shiner which has progressed to the other eye"

He said the people inside the bank "were crying and shaking." Mr Jones said he did not see the security guard being shot after he was dragged outside the bank: "I didn't even hear the shot.

"It all just happened so fast and they didn't have a regard for the people in there." He declined to admit he was a hero and said that before tackling the gang he had no idea they were armed.

Mr Jones said: "I didn't think. I just went in and did what I thought was right.

"I just saw a man who was trying to go about his daily business and he was being prevented.

"It didn't hit me until later, but I would do it again. "It was only later that night I had a reality check of what had happened and I was really shaken up."

Detective Superintendent Geoff Ronayne, the officer leading the investigation, said: "Wayne was very brave and has got to be commended for his actions."

However he advised members of the public not to take on the gang if confronted.

"It was spur-of-the-mom-ent, I think Wayne would agree. "What we would say is let the police deal with this type of incident," he said.

"I think we've got to be concerned they will strike again. I think they have probably struck before."

Det Supt Ronayne said detectives were following a number of leads and continuing to liaise with colleagues from other forces.

He said the 55-year-old security guard was lucky to be alive. Interviews with him had led to detectives gathering "an awful lot of information." Police also have "good quality information" from people who have come forward with pictures taken by camera phones.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwent police on 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.