A SHOP worker had a foot-long blade and a gun pointed at him in a terrifying daylight raid.

St George’s Stores, in New Town, Colchester, was targeted by two men in balaclavas who charged over to the shop worker who was in the store alone.

The men demanded cash from him but quickly ran out of the shop empty handed.

The shop manager, Jay, who spoke on behalf of the victim, said: “He was standing out the back and heard a noise as someone came in through the door.

“They ran over to him quickly and asked for money.”

One man who was carrying what police believe to be a foot-long blade grabbed the worker by the collar and held the weapon up to him.

Jay added: “Another man was standing there and was holding something which looked like a gun.

“They stayed in the shop for about a minute, they didn’t take anything.”

No-one was injured but the shop worker was shaken up. There were no customers in the Canterbury Road store at the time.

Staff said the two men fled from the store in the direction of Barrington Road. It happened at 6.23pm on Monday.

Residents were shocked and angered when they heard the news. Becky Broadbent said: “It’s quite a rare thing to happen in this part of new town, it’s a close community.

“It’s terrible to think something like this can happen on your doorstep in the early evening on a Monday night.

“Jay and his staff are lovely people and work hard to earn a living. People think it’s acceptable to threaten someone and steal from them.

“It’s disgusting and I hope they get caught as soon as possible.

“There are many young children in the area that could have been in the shop at the time.

“I consider this part of New Town to be quite safe but this has worried me.

“I’m concerned about letting my kids out to play if there are people running around with knives at 6.30pm on a Monday.”

Another witness who saw the suspects run out of the shop said she was left feeling angry.

She said: “One was wearing a grey tracksuit and the other one was wearing a black hoody.

“They had balaclavas covering their faces and the one was run - ning down the road with a knife in his hand.

“I just felt shocked and angry.”

Police issued CCTV footage of two men inside the shop, and called it a “serious incident”.

There is now a manhunt for the two men in the CCTV images.

Police confirmed the men were armed with what they believe to be a knife and a firearm.

Anyone with information should contact DI Jim White at Colchester CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously