A BRAVE shopkeeper today spoke of how a teenage knife attacker tried to stab her in the stomach as she tried to stop him stealing cash from her till.

Vahida Esscopri was on her own in her family's Top Shop Mini Market, St Hubert's Road, Great Harwood, yesterday when the robber walked into her shop and asked for a packet of chewing gum.

When she opened the till to give him some change, he jumped over the counter and pulled out a knife when she tried to stop him from grabbing the cash.

Mrs Esscopri said: "When he first came into the shop I thought he was an ordinary customer, although I'd never seen him before.

"He asked for some chewing gum and gave me 30p. When I opened the till to get his change he just pounced on top of the till and started trying to grab the money.

"I screamed and tried to stop him, but he pulled out this knife and started jabbing it towards my stomach. I jumped back out of the way and cut my finger.

"I kept screaming and shouting for my husband who was in the back room of the shop, but he couldn't hear me as the doors were shut. I just ran into the back of the shop and called the police.

"It was absolutely terrifying. I am only just beginning to get over it."

Mrs Esscopri believes the knifeman may have had an accomplice waiting for him outside the store. Paramedics treated Mrs Esscopri's injury at the scene. The knife believed to have been the weapon was later found nearby and was being examined today.

She was later taken to Accrington Victoria Hospital by her family for a check-up as she was suffering from shock.

Police, who said the robber was spotted running down Prospect Street, said they were also trying to establish how much money was taken.

An armed response unit, police helicopter and dog handlers joined the hunt for the robber after the raid at 1.45pm.

The raider was described as white, 18 or 19 years old, with short, dark or ginger hair, wearing a green woolly hat, scruffy tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the side and a dark coloured top.

Inspector Bob Ford, of Great Harwood Police, said: "We have spoken to a lot of people who were out on the street at the time of the robbery. But we are anxious to speak to anyone else who we haven't already spoken to who may know the identity of this offender."

Anyone with information can call Great Harwood Police on 01254 884800.

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