A SHOP owner has released dramatic CCTV footage of a balaclava-clad robber brandishing a '"big knife" threatening a female members of staff.

Police were called to Rems Newsagents in Highgate Road, Clayton Heights, Bradford, at 7.30am yesterday following the terrifying raid.

Ian Lumsden, 56, who has had the shop since 2003, said: “I heard screams coming from the shop from a lady member of staff.

“We knew something was happening. We came downstairs as quickly as we could.

“By this point, the lad had gone. The member of staff was in tears obviously.

“He had come in with a big knife - she had been putting some milk in the chiller.

“He was shouting ‘where’s your money’ and stabbed the knife into the beers.”

Mr Lumsden said it was a large knife with a serrated edge, which he was “jabbing about”.

He said the culprit went behind the counter and filled a bag with Smirnoff and spirits.

The member of staff then threw some milk at the suspect and ran out of the shop.

Mr Lumsden said it was the second time it had happened since November 2016.

“It seems to be happening more and more and they don’t seem to get away with a lot,” he said.

“They’re risking a prison term for not an awful lot of gain.

“We keep a very small amount of money in the till.”

Mr Lumsden added: “He is obviously scum of the earth.

“He needs locking up.

“It’s about time courts started taking things seriously and getting people like this off the streets for a very long time.”

The shop closed for a short time in the morning to allow police inquiries to take place, but opened later in the day.

“Shops nowadays can’t afford to close for long periods of time,” he said.

“We won’t be deterred by a low-life like him.”

He added that the member of staff was left shaken by the ordeal, but was determined to carry on.

“We are back up and running and we are putting it behind us,” he said.

“We’ll beef up security.”

Mr Lumsden said he would be displaying pictures of the culprit, who he believes to be local, in the shop and urged anyone with any information to come forward.

“I’m determined this low-life will be caught,” he said.

Paul Cromie, Independent ward councillor for Queensbury, said: “Let’s just hope that staff are okay and they catch the culprit before they do any other damage.”

And sending a message to the person responsible he said: “Don’t do it again - hand yourself in.”

Cllr Cromie also urged people to take care if they are ever in a similar situation, stressing that people’s lives are irreplaceable.

“You can’t predict these things happening. It’s the shock aspect when it does happen which makes people do silly things sometimes. Don’t be a ‘have-a-go’ hero.”

He added that he had recently received a police report which seemed to suggest things were “looking up”.

Andrew Senior, Conservative ward councillor for Queensbury, added: “It’s just horrific that people trying to earn a living have to be in fear of something like that. They are just endangering people’s livelihoods.

“I feel really sorry for the individuals who were involved.

“It must have been a terrifying experience for them.

“I urge anyone with any information - no matter how big or small - to step forward with it to the police to bring the culprit to justice as soon as possible.”

The robber was described as a white male of stocky build, about 6ft tall, and along with the balaclava was wearing a dark blue or black waist-length coat, and dark Adidas tracksuit bottoms, with Adidas written on the leg in white lettering.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call Bradford District CID on 101, quoting log number 0236 of Tuesday, January 9, or call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.