A ROBBER who was foiled by a passer-by as he tried to flee with £40,000 has been jailed for six years.

Daniel Green, 28, and an accomplice struck as a Securicor guard delivered the cash box to the Abbey in Pitsea Broadway.

The guard dropped the box and the robbers grabbed it and ran off, but were soon stopped by a passer-by who grappled with them.

Green, and his accomplice, eventually gave up, dropped the cash and ran towards McDonald's where they got into a car and sped off.

During the scuffle Green dropped his mobile phone, leaving detectives with the vital clue to his identity.

Officers managed to trace fingerprints on the phone and launched a nationwide hunt for Green who lived in Pimlico, West London.

Eleven months after the robbery, which happened on Friday January 5 last year, police arrested Green and he was picked out in an identification parade by witnesses.

He pleaded guilty to robbery at Southend Crown Court.

His accomplice was never brought to justice.

Investigating officer Det Con Matthew Schneider of Basildon CID said: "This lengthy sentence reflects the severity of Green's crime.

"It should act as a warning to any other robbers. We will pursue, arrest and bring them before the courts where their crimes will be dealt with robustly."