A man who tried to grab pensioner Donald Marshall’s money at a cashpoint in London’s East End got more than he bargained for.

Donald may be 78 and a slim 5ft 4ins tall—but the ex-Army bantamweight boxer managed to “get in a right hander” as the pair grappled to the ground.

Two passers-by saw the struggle in broad daylight outside the Natwest bank in Marsh Wall on the Isle of Dogs and came to his help—then held onto the attacker till police arrived.

“I got a black eye and sore nose—but this young fellow came unstuck when he took me on,” nine-stone Donald told the East London Advertiser.

“He got me in a bear hug from behind, then tried to ungrip my fingers. But I resisted with all the force I had.

“I managed to get a right hander to him as we went down on the ground—that shook him.

“He couldn’t get the money, no matter how hard he tried.”

Grandfather Donald, who’s expecting to be a great-granddad in October, fought back without a second thought, thanks to his Army boxing during his National Service in the 1950s.

But it left him nursing a right shiner and bent nose when he got back to his home in Millwall.

Donald’s wife June, 64, said: “He’s shook up and got a couple of bruises. But he did manage to land a punch and put up a good fight and gave as good as he took.”

Officers questioned the attacker who claimed he had been at the cash machine before Donald and went back thinking the pensioner had his money.

Then he found the ‘missing’ cash in his back pocket while being questioned, police have confirmed. He has been formally cautioned for common assault, but not charged.

It has left June furious and considering contacting the Independent Police Complaints Commission over “the leniency” while her husband has had to have hospital treatment.