A gang of masked criminals armed with sledgehammers didn’t know what hit them when “super granny” and her “handbag” taught them a lesson they will never forget — and it was all caught on video.
When retiree Ann Timson set out to do a bit of shopping one afternoon in England, she had no idea she would soon be taking action against a gang of armed crooks, but that’s exactly what happened. According to Mirror, “She was chatting with a friend in the street when she heard a commotion behind her. She turned to see what she thought was a boy being attacked by three men.”
“They had weapons in their hands and I could see them swinging them,” recalled Ann, who later learned the would-be thieves were armed with sledgehammers. “I thought the boy was being beaten up. It flashed into my mind that it could have been my son or my great-nephew, which is what made me run over.” With no thought to her own safety, Ann launched into action only to realize that “the attack” was in fact a vicious robbery.
“I was in full flight at that stage,” the grandmother said. “I felt angry at first because I thought the boy was being beaten up and there were people just standing around watching, doing nothing. Then when I realized what was really happening, I was even more angry. I couldn’t believe they would do that in broad daylight.”
At that point, video footage shows Ann Timson charging at the gang, swinging her handbag, and landing a series of blows to their heads. “It was the strangest thing,” she said. “I don’t think I had time to be really frightened. The whole incident was over in a few seconds, but it felt like it lasted a lifetime. I only had my handbag so I knew that would have to do. Thankfully, I had 15 one-pound coins in my purse so it became a good, heavy weapon!”
According to ABC News, the robbers reportedly threatened Timson with their sledgehammers, but she kept swinging, knocking one of the men off of his motorbike. “I was shouting, ‘Stop it, stop it,’ and then, when one of them tumbled over, I shouted to all the people standing there, ‘Sit on him, sit on him!'” Timson recalled. “I missed as many as I hit, but all I could think was ‘How dare they do such a thing . . . and in broad daylight, too!’ The audacity of those people — it’s beyond belief.”
Super granny reflected on the aftermath. “When someone took the helmet off the lad we’d restrained, I couldn’t believe how young he was — and he looked terrified,” she said. “He was just a boy. I thought of my own son at that age, and it made me realize how much things have changed in this country. A few decades ago, young men respected their elders. Yet one of these lads had even raised his hammer at me. If he hadn’t realized he was about to whack an old woman, I hate to think what he could have done to me.”
Thanks to the feisty grandmother’s intervention, five criminals – who had all been involved in similar robberies – were caught and jailed for a total of 26 years. The owner of the jewelry store also expressed his gratitude to Timson. “I am absolutely amazed…it was unbelievable. No one does that sort of thing. Amazing courage and bravery and she ran so far to get involved,” Luke Allebone, owner of Michael Jones Jewellers, said.
Timson admitted that what she did was dangerous. “In the cold light of day, I know I put myself in danger. But I probably would do the same again,” Timson said. “I am not a hero and it was maybe foolish of me to get involved, but somebody had to do something.”
It’s clear that the notion of being a heroine does not sit comfortably with Ann Timson, but this is not the first time this softly spoken woman has taken matters into her own hands when it comes to the wellbeing of her community. According to reports, the tough-as-nails granny has provided foster care to local children.
In addition to giving a loving home to children in need of one, Ann Timson is also well known for baking 300 pies and 40 Christmas cakes every year for friends, family, and neighbors who are on their own. This super granny has consistently done good but has never looked for any praise. The world could use more grandmas just like her.
