A man in the UK has gained overnight popularity on social media after a video showed him leaving a haircut midway and running across the street to help a police officer who was being attacked by a thug. The man, identified as Kyle Whiting, 32, was getting a trim at Haron Barbers in Warrington, Cheshire when he saw the brawl unfold on the street. Before the situation could turn pear-shaped Mr Whiting leapt out of the chair with the barber's cape still draped out to bail the cop out of trouble.
With the cape swirling in the air, Mr Whiting grabbed the perp from behind and pulled him off the officer. He kept hold of him as other bystanders gathered around to help. Another officer from a marked police car parked around the corner then ran over, before a second squad vehicle pulled up and the man was detained.
"Before you know it, my barber had taken his phone out and had gone up to the window and started recording. I then saw the guy outside swing for the police officer and throw him down onto the ground," Mr Whiting was quoted as saying by BBC.
Mr Whiting, whose sister is a police officer, said he was at the place by coincidence as he was taking his girlfriend to the A&E unit at nearby Warrington Hospital.
"I thought, 'I'm not sitting back and watching this'. If that was my sister, I would hope somebody wouldn't hesitate to help her if she was on her own," he said.
Internet reacts
The video clip of the incident has gone viral with social media users applauding Mr Whiting for his selflessness and quick decision-making. Some are calling him the "caped crusader" while others dubbed him the "haircut hero".
"Not all heroes wear capes... but this one does! Can we take a moment to applaud this fella, mid-haircut - but dashing out to aid a copper with a violent criminal? Not enough people like you around!" said one user, while another added: "Cape and all, what a legend."
A third commented: "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's haircut man!"
Cheshire Constabulary later issued a statement thanking Mr Whiting for his support during the incident. The department added that owing to Mr Whiting's effort, a 50-year-old man was arrested in connection to the case and has since been passed to the care of health professionals.
