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Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch helped fight off a gang of thugs as they attacked a Deliveroo cyclist.

The 41-year-old leapt out of the back of an Uber he was sharing with his wife, Sophie Hunter, to intervene as four muggers set upon the rider in central London.

The drama unfolded in Marylebone High Street – just half a mile from Sherlock’s fictional home of 221b Baker Street.

Uber driver Manuel Dias told The Sun: “I was taking Benedict and his wife to a club — but I didn’t know it was him at first.

“I went to turn down into Marylebone High Street and we saw four guys were pushing around a Deliveroo cyclist.

“My passenger jumped out, ran over and pulled the men away. They turned towards him and things looked like getting worse, so I joined in.

“He stood there instructing them in the street, shouting, ‘Leave him alone’.

“It was only then I recognised Benedict. Then it all got a bit surreal. Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street.”

The driver added: “I had hold of one lad and Benedict another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest.

“They tried to hit him but he defended himself and pushed them away. He wasn’t injured. Then I think they also re­cognised it was Be­ne­dict and ran away.

“Benedict was courageous, brave and selfless. If he hadn’t stepped in the cyclist could have been seriously injured.

“He asked the rider how he was and when he said, ‘I’m OK’ Benedict just hugged him.”

Police confirmed they had been called to reports of a delivery driver being assaulted in Marylebone High Street in November. The details of the attack only emerged last night. No arrests have been made.

The paper reported Cumberbatch saying: “I did it out of, well, I had to, you know...”