Ricky Jefferies says he had just finished cutting hair when he grabbed the driver who allegedly deliberately stuck the Indi MP and held him until police arrived

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The Australian prime minister has hailed him a hero for rushing out of his shop to help Independent MP Helen Haines after she was allegedly run down in a deliberate attack – but barber Ricky Jefferies says he had “no choice” but to intervene.

Standing outside his shop, which is right next to Haines’ electorate office in Wangaratta on Tuesday morning, Jefferies was almost shy about the whole thing.