A SHOP assistant today spoke of her terror ordeal at the hands of an armed raider.

The gunman brandished a double-barrelled shotgun at Carol Taylor while demanding that she hand over the night's takings from Cheers off-licence in Whalley New Road, Roe Lee, Blackburn.

Carol, 35, was left shaken and distressed after the hold up and now says she is too scared to return to work.

Carol, of Bastwell, Blackburn, was serving another customer when the raider came into the shop just before 10pm on Saturday.

When the first customer had gone the raider put a rucksack on the counter and demanded that Carol fill it with cash.

She said: "I was trying my best to press the panic button and give him the money but he kept telling me to hurry up and I could see the gun. It was wrapped in a yellow plastic bag but you could tell it was a double-barrelled shotgun. He pointed it right at me."

Carol's colleague, a male shelf-stacker, was outside putting the shutters down when the raider struck and ran to get help when he saw what was happening. Carol, who worked part-time at the off-licence, said she would not be going back to work there.

She said: "I have had terrible nightmares about what happened and I woke up screaming the morning after, thinking he was in my room. I can't go back there now."

Police said the raider escaped with a "substantial amount" of cash before running off in the direction of Jasper Street.

He was described as white, 5ft 9in tall, slim and in his mid-20s. He was clean-shaven and had pale, drawn skin.

He was wearing a blue baseball cap, a blue jacket and jeans.

Detective Sergeant Paul Murphy, of Blackburn CID, said: "We would appeal to anyone who knows the offender or anybody who was at the scene at the time of the robbery to contact us.

"We are also appealing for a taxi driver who pulled up outside the shop shortly afterwards to get in touch. He was not connected with the crime but we would like to trace him."

Anyone who can help should ring Blackburn Police on 01254 51212.

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