A shop worker has described how a masked robber threatened her at knife-point during a terrifying robbery.

Senior Sales Assistant Anne King was working in Simply Food and Drink, in Church Lane, Newsome when a man burst in with a knife.

Anne said: “I was in front of the counter and a man wearing a balaclava rushed in carrying a knife.

“He shouted at me and my colleague Tremaine, who had been stacking shelves, ‘Don’t do anything or I’ll put this (the knife) in you.”

“He then told me to go behind the counter and held the knife out to guide me around to the other side near the till.

“He then said ‘Give me all the money’ and I opened the till and handed over the takings. He was disappointed with how little money was in the till and again shouted for money. I told him there wasn’t any and he started to go, then he helped himself to a bottle of vodka on the way out.

“All that I was thinking when it was happening was do as he said so I wouldn’t get hurt.

“I phoned the police and they came quickly and have since told me they have two people in custody.”

Both Anne and her colleague Tremaine Steel were uninjured in the ordeal which happened at 8.20pm on Tuesday.

Police mounted a search of the area and the West Yorkshire Police helicopter flew in to join the hunt.

Both suspects attempted to evade police after fleeing the car and running off on foot.

Det Insp Ian Thornes of Huddersfield CID said: “We were called at 8.20pm following reports of a robbery at Simply Food and Drink in Newsome. A masked male entered and threatened a female shop assistant with a bound wood-handled knife with a seven-inch blade.

“The suspect shouted at the women demanding cash, she handed over £150 from the till.

“He then fled with the cash and a bottle of vodka.

“Two men have subsequently been arrested and are currently in police custody.

“We are also investigating two earlier robberies which happened on Tuesday afternoon at around 4pm at Grange Moor Post Office on Bedford Avenue and a betting shop in Scissett, during which, staff were also threatened with a knife. We believe these two incidents are linked.

“It is unclear at this time whether the third incident (Simply Foods in Newsome) is linked and enquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information should contact Huddersfield CID on 101.