A man who bravely stepped in to help a woman being robbed in the street has said he doesn’t regret taking action – despite breaking his leg in two places.

Gurjeet Birdi was walking to work when he heard a scream behind him.

He turned to see a 58-year-old woman being attacked by a man trying to steal her gold jewellery.

Following his instincts, the 37-year-old rushed to her aid.

But the keen footballer kicked the attacker so hard he fractured both the tibia and fibular bones in his left leg.

Mr Birdi, who lives in Ilford, said: “When I heard her scream, I thought he had stabbed her. He could have had a knife.

“I ran towards him and he tried to duck, and I hit him with my leg and I went flying.

“I felt a crack in my leg. I got up and fell straight back down.”

While the robber managed to get away, he dropped the victim’s Asian gold necklace and ring, worth hundreds of pounds.

Mr Birdi, who runs BD Wines off-licence in Kennington, south London, had to have a metal rod inserted into his leg and will be in a cast for eight weeks for it to heal.

Playing down his intervention, he said his courageous actions were part of his character.

“It’s just in my nature,” said Mr Birdi, who lives with his mum Joginder and brother Kam.

“It could have been my mum. She was my mum’s age.

“I’ve just broken my leg, it could have been worse.”

The former Ilford Colts player said his shooting skills came in handy.

“I used to have one of the hardest shots in the league – I used that to my advantage,” he said.

“Now I’ve broken my leg I might think twice about it next time.”

Police are appealing for information about the attack, which happened just before 1pm in Beal Road, Ilford on Wednesday, September 17.

The mugger approached the woman from behind and grabbed her necklace, breaking it into several pieces.

If you have any information contact Redbridge CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.