An off-licence manageress has told of her terror when she was threatened at knifepoint by a robber who ordered her to hand over cash from the till.

As detectives stepped up their hunt for the thief, Valerie Holland revealed she is now worried about being on her own in Unwin's Wine merchants in Barnstaple Road, Thorpe Bay.

She said: "I want to do everything possible to make sure this man is caught."

Valerie, 43, was working as usual behind the counter when a man wearing a black bobble hat walked into the shop.

A shocked Valerie, said: "When he came in I was at the back of the shop and to all intents and purposes he looked like any other customer.

"I walked behind the counter to serve him and he asked me to hand over all of the money from the till.

"I thought he was winding me up as you have a laugh and joke with most of the customers and they ask me to give them money. I sort of laughed at him and he said 'I'm not joking' and pulled out a knife.

"I gave him the £90 from the till and he went. Looking back it was not a very big knife and I feel like I should have done something."

The robber was a white male, slim, aged between 19 and 23, was around 5ft 9ins tall and had brown collar length hair.

He was wearing a black bobble hat, black jogging bottoms and a navy waterproof mac.

Anybody with any information about the robbery, which happened at about 9.50pm on Saturday, should call Det Con John Connolly at Southend police on 01702 431212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Robbed at knifepoint - Unwins boss Valerie Holland

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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