MASKED robbers threatened shop staff with a Samurai sword in two Huddersfield raids over the weekend.

One terrified customer told how he had the Japanese blade held up against his neck during a raid at a Newsome store.

And in another incident at a Bradley takeaway, a masked robber jumped over the counter and threatened a mum-of-one with a Samurai sword.

Louise Falck, 26, was working at the Marstons Chicken Shop fast food takeaway at Leeds Road when the three masked raiders struck.

The Sheepridge mum said: “There were four of us in the shop and they just came in and jumped over the counter and demanded that we give them the money.

“One of the men was threatening a woman who works here with a Samurai sword.

“They were threatening that they would chop us if we didn’t give them the money.

“It felt like they were in the shop forever, but they were practically just in and out.”

Louise said she and her colleagues Mary Duggan, Marie Duggan and Latoyah Johnson were shook up by the ordeal.

She said: “We were very nervous after. None of us wanted to come back into work.

“It’s going to be more scary when we’re in here and it starts getting dark.”

The three raiders struck at 10.50pm on Saturday night.

The Newsome raid was less than 24 hours later at Simply Food and Drinks at Church Lane.

A 43-year-old customer, who does not want to be named, said he was forced to the ground during the robbery.

He said: “I was scared for my life. It all happened in minutes. These two guys just burst into the shop from the stock room.

“One of them had a Samurai sword and he came at me and held it against the back of my neck and told us to get on the floor.

“I saw him hit the male shop assistant with a bottle. They grabbed some money out of the till and then started demanding money from me, asking me where the takings were.

“I told them I didn’t know I was only a customer. They just ran off.

“The other shop assistant called the police, she was hysterical. They arrived in minutes.”

The man, who is from Leeds, was visiting his girlfriend in Newsome when he called into the shop shortly after 8.20pm to buy chocolate.

He was in the general store and off licence with another customer when the drama unfolded.

The male shop assistant who was hit with a bottle sustained minor cuts and bruises to his face and head and was treated at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and discharged later.

The balaclava-clad youths who were both wearing dark clothing made off from the back of the shop.

Police have appealed for witnesses to both incidents and anyone with information is asked to contact Huddersfield CID on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.