Police have praised “brave members of the public” for helping to stop a man suspected of trying to rob a bank with an AK47-style weapon.

The suspect, in his thirties, was said to have fled empty-handed from a Barclays bank through the Borough area of London yesterday, but no shots were fired.

The man reportedly ran through The George pub, chased by bank security and other members of the public.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Darren Burn, an ITV journalist who was in the pub at the time, said: “We heard tyres screech then saw a man with a gun. Bank security were shouting - they were telling us the man had a gun and we needed to get down.

“There were about 40 people in the pub courtyard at the time."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said officers were called at 1.47pm.

He said: “The suspect entered the bank and threatened the staff with a firearm and demanded that money was handed over.

“Desperate to escape, the suspect fled the bank empty-handed but was apprehended a short while later by members of the public.

“Officers arrived at the scene and the man was arrested. He was taken to a south London police station where he remains.

“No shots were fired and no members of the public were injured during the incident.”