Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch has been hailed a hero after he reportedly fought off four muggers who attacked a Deliveroo cyclist.

The 41-year-old is said to have ran out of an Uber after noticing the incident near London's Baker Street, the fictional home of detective Sherlock Holmes. A witness told The Sun how the actor ran to the man's aid, shouting: "Leave him alone."  The publication reports that Benedict dragged the attackers off the bloodied cyclist. They are said to have tried to punch him, but he managed to fend them off before they fled. Uber driver Manuel Dias told the news outlet:

“I was taking Benedict and his wife to a club — but I didn’t know it was him at first.

“I went to turn down into Marylebone High Street and we saw four guys were pushing around a Deliveroo cyclist.

“My passenger jumped out, ran over and pulled the men away. They turned towards him and things looked like getting worse, so I joined in. “It was only then I recognised Benedict. Then it all got a bit surreal. Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street."

He went on to praise the Doctor Strange star for being "courageous, brave and selfless". He continued:

“I had hold of one lad and Benedict another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest. “They tried to hit him but he defended himself and pushed them away. He wasn’t injured. Then I think they also re­cognised it was Be­ne­dict and ran away. “Benedict was courageous, brave and selfless. If he hadn’t stepped in the cyclist could have been seriously injured. “He asked the rider how he was and when he said, ‘I’m OK’ Benedict just hugged him.”

Police officers confirmed to The Sun that they had been called to assault on a  delivery driver.