A 'shoplifter' has been filmed stealing cheese from a Co-op before bizarrely rolling underneath a bus and 'attacking' the police as officers tried to arrest him.

Nathan Williams, 32, is said to have filled his bag with Cathedral City cheddar at a Co-op store in Walthamstow on May 22 before calmly leaving the store - as staff looked on.

The man, from Ilford, London, was filmed clutching a broken wine bottle as he left the shop on Blackhorse Lane and walked down the middle of Forest Road before rolling underneath a bus.

A Co-op employee flagged down police officers on patrol in Waltham Forest who then approached Williams beneath the bus.

Footage captured two officers speaking to Williams as he lay on his back underneath the 230 bus to Upper Walthamstow, hurling packs of stolen cheese at them.

Williams is also said to have 'attacked' and assaulted an emergency worker during the ordeal. 

A man dressed in all black and wearing a baseball cap helped the police officers wrestle Williams from underneath the bus and pin him down. 

Another man helped keep the 'shoplifter' under control as two more police cars arrived outside Canvas Walthamstow, where the arrest took place.

He was charged with theft from a shop and assaulting an emergency worker and is due to appear at Thames Magistrates' Court on May 25.   

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Nathan Williams, 32, from Ilford has been charged with theft from a shop and assaulting an emergency worker. He will appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 25 May.

'This follows an incident on Friday, 22 May when officers on patrol in Waltham Forest were flagged down by a shop employee on Blackhorse Lane, E17, who reported a man had stolen items from the store.'

The Co-op has been approached for comment.