AN American tourist has earned a place in British history after nabbing a thief who tried to steal the Magna Carta.

Matt Delcambre, 56, tackled the hooded, hammer-wielding man and held him on the ground until security arrived.

5 Heroic Matt Delcambre, with his wife Alexis - 'I couldn't let him get away with it' Credit: Doug Seeburg - The Sun

5 The thief attempted to smash his way into the case and grab the Magna Carta Credit: Reuters

Man arrested after trying to ‘steal the Magna Carta from Salisbury Cathedral by smashing case with a hammer’

Last night Matt told The Sun: “I couldn’t let him get away with it. The Magna Carta is one of the most important documents in the world.

“I just had to stop him.” The drama unfolded when the would-be thief set off a fire alarm in Salisbury Cathedral at 4.45pm on Thursday.

Amid the confusion of staff and visitors he ran into the Chapter House chapel where the 800-year-old document is kept. He then pulled out a hammer and tried to smash the double-layer glass case protecting the script.

But he could only break the outer layer.

5 Salisbury Cathedral, home to one of only four remaining original copies of the Magna Carta Credit: Solent News

As he fled, he was grabbed by Matt, who was sightseeing with wife Alexa. She said of the suspect: “Back home he would have been hog-tied on the ground.”

Matt, from Little Iberia, Louisiana, added: “There was a lot of confusion but no panic or screaming. It was very English.”

The Magna Carta has been replaced with a replica and its chapel closed while the cathedral reviews its security arrangements.

The building hit the headlines last month when two Russians accused of poisoning the Skripals claimed they were only in the city to see its cathedral.

5 An understated sign, put up following the violent robbery attempt Credit: PA:Press Association

5 The Magna Carta, which American tourist Matt called 'One of the most important documents in the world' Credit: PA:Press Association

The Dean — Rev Canon Nicholas Papadopulos, far left with the smashed case — said: “Matt acted very courageously and I’m hugely grateful.”

Police said yesterday that a 45-year-old man was in custody after being arrested on suspicion of attempted theft.

FIRST LAW ENFORCER MAGNA Carta was drawn up in 1215 and agreed by King John at Runnymede near Windsor. It means “Great Charter” in Latin and is regarded as the foundation of rights of liberty enshrined in law. It states: “No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled. “Nor will we proceed with force against him except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. “To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.” Only four original copies remain — at Salisbury Cathedra, Lincoln Cathedral, The British Library and the Bodleian Library. Salisbury says its is the most intact.

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