HAVE-A-GO hero Anthony Baker, who tackled armed raiders during a robbery in Usk this week and was attacked with a baseball bat, has told how his actions were prompted by rage.

"They're scum," said Mr Baker, a retained firefighter from the town. "I was just pumped up and let them have it."

The robbery at the Spar on Bridge Street on Tuesday evening was the third armed raid to take place in the area in five months.

At a press conference at Pontypool police station yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector Geoff Ronayne appealed again for witnesses to come forward.

DCI Ronayne said: "These men are dangerous and raided this store without considering the fact children were inside."

Kung fu instructor Mr Baker, who also works as a butcher, risked his life when he struggled with the three robbers.

Police believe the actions of 32-year-old Mr Baker led to the retrieval of vital evidence from the scene - a Walther gas-powered handgun.

More than 40 officers from the Gwent and South Wales forces are now investigating the robbery and a similar attack at the One Stop Shop at Creigiau, near Cardiff, that happened just over an hour before.

And just two weeks ago, raiders made off with more than £2,000 from Usk Post Office.

Mr Baker, who is married, was about to buy some milk from the Spar when he noticed a gunman at the store entrance.

He said: "With scum coming back into town two weeks later and doing exactly the same thing - I was just so annoyed to see it happening again."

Mr Baker said he managed to hit one of the robbers with a torch he was carrying before he was attacked by another with a baseball bat.

He said: "The one strike that did hit me caused a two-inch jagged wound to my head. It created a lot of blood and my clothes were soaked.

"The first thing my mum said - and she is a bit gung-ho herself - was 'That's my boy'."

But police warned the public not to follow his example, and Mr Baker added: "I certainly would not say to everyone else to have a go."

After turning on Mr Baker, the raiders ran off towards the Mary- port Street car park, and Mr Baker gave chase with another man. One attacker turned around and produced what looked like a hunting knife, so Mr Baker ran back to the Spar.

DCI Ronayne said the thieves may have used a black saloon Subaru-type vehicle with alloy wheels to get away.

Police are also looking at possible connections between the latest two Usk robberies and the raid on a Llanbadoc home in June, when £100,000 worth of jewellery was stolen.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 01495 232260 or 01626 838111.