A terrified Burnham-On-Sea couple have been recounting how a man burst into their shop on Wednesday (October 18th) and tried to carry out an armed robbery.
A man entered the Avon newsagents opposite the junction to Dunstan Road in Oxford Street, pictured, at around 9.20am and threatened staff with a gun, before fleeing empty handed.
Police are appealing for help in tracing the man. “He is described as white, aged in his late teens and about 5ft 6ins tall,” spokesman Ian Jury told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“He was wearing a grey hooded jacket with muddy sleeves, a grey or blue top which was zipped up to the neck, dark trousers and a light blue belt.”
.TV APPEAL FOR INFORMATION…
Det Sgt Richard Kelvey, appearing on BBC Points West, said: “This is a very rare offence in Burnham. We wouldn’t want to alarm people, but we do need the public’s help to try and trace this person so we can deal with him.”
“Anyone who may have seen this man in the area around the time of the incident or knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Bridgwater CID on 0845 4567000.”
While the newsagent’s owners Dave and Hilary Burton were unhurt during the incident, they have been left shaken.
Mr Burton, 60, recounted the frightening ordeal to Burnham-On-Sea.com on Wednesday afternoon.
“My wife, Hilary, was serving in the shop on her own this morning when a man burst in and suddenly held a gun to her.”
“He demanded to know if there was anyone else in the building and asked for cash and cigarettes to be handed over.”
“I heard shouting from the room next door and quickly came through, when he started shouting ‘I’ll shoot, I’ll shoot…”
“The gun was then fired and a ball bearing shot into a corner of the shop, near to some bottles.”
“I was relieved that it was only a BB gun, but knew we were still in danger. We refused to give him anything – and he fled empty handed.”
Mr Burton said his wife is “very shook up by the whole thing and has been complaining of pains in her chest. She needs rest.”
