A plucky pensioner has been praised by police after fighting off would-be robbers during a shop raid.

The 72-year-old man was working behind the counter at the newsagents’ when two teenage suspects burst in.

One of the robbers leaped on to the counter, grabbed hold of the assistant and tried to snatch cash from the till.

But the courageous assistant grappled with the suspect, forcing him to jump from the counter and run out of the door with the second suspect.

As they fled, one of the robbers waved a screwdriver in the face of a delivery driver, who was entering the shop to buy a newspaper.

Nobody was hurt in the incident at about 5.15pm on Wednesday, at the Fanfare newsagents, in Harrogate Road, Eccleshill.

The raiders, who were both in their mid-teens, did not manage to steal anything.

Detective Inspector Peter Craig, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said the shop assistant had been very courageous.

Both suspects were white and in their mid-teens. One was slim, or skinny, and was wearing a black woolly hat, a black scarf pulled over his face and a black jacket. The second suspect was chubby, clean shaven, and 5ft 7in. He also had a black scarf round his face and was wearing black jeans and jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Airedale and North Bradford CID on 0845 6060606, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.