Shop owner tells blade thug 'either use the knife or piss off'

A brave convenience store owner in Devon scared off a knife-wielding robber by telling him "use the knife or piss off."

Brian Hammond, 68, was confronted by a hood-wearing man with a six-inch "butcher-style" knife who had entered his newsagents and demanded all the money from the till. Mr Hammond, who has run The News Shop in Fisher Street, Paignton, Devon, for the past 15 years, said he was not prepared to meekly hand over his hard-earned money.

"I came out of the store room and he was standing there with the knife. He demanded money from the till. I thought he was joking until he came around behind me and I knew he was serious," Mr Hammond said.

"I picked up a screwdriver, which was on the counter and told him 'either use your knife or piss off'. To my surprise, he did."