Airline pilot Darren Mendoza has been hailed a hero for the fourth time after tackling a violent shoplifter.

The 32-year-old Virgin Atlantic captain grappled with the thief who was threatening a newsagent and sat on him for 15 minutes until police arrived.

The teenager continued to be violent and had to be restrained with the use of a police pepper spray.

This was the fourth time Mr Mendoza, from Brighton, has successfully tackled thieves.

He helped Brighton police catch a burglar two years ago and prevented two of his airline colleagues from being pickpocketed in Spain earlier this year.

Following his latest act of bravery Mr Mendoza has received an award at Crawley police station for rushing to the aid of the newsagent in Billingshurst High Street in July.

Mr Mendoza, who is based at Gatwick, said: "He took a swing at the shop manager, who was an older guy. The manager was trying to hold him because he had been shoplifting and the shoplifter was trying to get away.

"I grabbed him and flipped him over on the ground and put my knee in his neck and his arms round his back.

"I sat on him for 15 minutes and every time he struggled I put more pressure on him."

His award from Sussex police Forest Division said: "His decision not to ignore the situation and to take positive action, without regard to his own safety in a potentially violent situation, is to be highly commended."

The teenager was last month sent to a young offenders' institution for four months after being convicted of shoplifting and resisting an officer.

Mr Mendoza said: "Most people work hard for what they have and I don't think it's right other people should take that from them."

Twice this year he grabbed pickpockets trying to steal from Virgin Express crew members staying in Barcelona.

His wife Ally, a British Airways stewardess said: "I think he's great. I'm very proud of him."

His father Mike, from Shoreham, and 85-year-old grandmother Betty Mendoza, from Hove, also attended the ceremony.

His grandmother said: "We are all very proud of him. He conducted himself very bravely."

Other awards went to police officers for outstanding work.

PCs Trevor Goodchild and Andy Clay were honoured after helping catch a suspected thief who twice rammed their car in Crawley. PC Dave Lindsay, who joined in the chase, also received an award.

A certificate of merit went to Steyning PC Tony Day, involved in three serious and traumatic incidents in four months.

He played a key role in the discovery of the body of traveller Joseph Brazil, found dead in a ditch at Henfield.

A month later he was one of the first officers on the scene following the murder of teacher Jill Parnham at her home in Ashington and he was one of the first officers to arrive at a disused farm in Cowfold, Horsham, where a 14-year-old boy was fatally injured after being thrown from a van.

PC Simon Goulding, who was with PC Day and also tried to resuscitate the boy, received divisional congratulations. They were both said to be "shining examples of professionalism and dedication to duty in the face of adversity".

Other awards went to Sergeant Kevin Doidge, PCs Tony Millington, Steve Sharpe, Richard Edwards, Sian Griffiths, Simon Ward and Simon Friend, special constables Andrew White and Adrian Gray and Forest crime prevention co-ordinators Linda Connor and Patrick Mitchell.