Peter O'Shaughnessy and Robert Gregory believed a 68-year-old man visiting a supermarket petrol station would be an easy target.
The Liverpool Echo report that he pursued the cancer survivor back to his house in Widnes, where hammer wielding O'Shaughnessy demanded his car keys.
But the brave pensioner - who is now aged 70 but still works as a delivery driver - fought with the 38-year-old thug and disarmed him.
He even handed the weapon back to O'Shaughnessy, who ran off with his tail between his legs and - according to his texts - a fresh lump on his head.O'Shaughnessy - who has 28 previous convictions for 63 offences - admitted attempted robbery and possessing an offensive weapon.He was jailed for "58 months" - four years and 10 months.
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