A SHOP owner has described the terrifying moment a knifeman jumped at him.

Michael Haylock, 22, spotted the raider dressed in black with his face hidden by a balaclava as he watched CCTV in the backroom of his one-stop shop in Low Moor, Bradford.

When he rushed out to confront the man, the would-be robber jumped up at him from the other side of the counter brandishing a weapon.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Mr Haylock, who only opened J&M Off licence in Cleckheaton Road, in June said the man had been hiding, crouched down and waiting for him to come to the till.

"He didn't know it but I'd already seen this figure running into the shop so I knew something wasn't right. I came out of the back room and he just jumped up and started shouting and swearing at me to hand over all the money.

"He was showing me something in his hand. I didn't look twice because I'd seen something and knew it was a weapon, I thought it was a knife or maybe a gun. I didn't want to see it again," he said.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

And he added: "I just turned and ran back into the room and barricaded myself and another colleague in. We saw him run off, out the door and back the way he had come towards Terry Street."

The drama happened at about 4pm yesterday when the road was busy outside.

Mr Haylock said: "Someone must have seen him. He was all in black and would've had to run past houses and down some ginnels."

A police spokesman said officers are continuing their investigation and want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area.

Anyone with information should call Bradford District CID on 101, quoting crime reference 13160017725 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.