SHOPKEEPER FIGHT OFF ARMED MAN WITH VODKA BOTTLE AND CHAIR

A brave shopkeeper fought off an armed man with a bottle of vodka as his stunned teenage son watched on.

The man lunged towards Anil Velji wielding a knife in a convenience store in Oldham.

Mr Velji attempted to fend off his attacker with the spirit bottle before falling to the ground.

He kicked the man from the floor as he continued to come towards him, and managed to pick up a chair behind the shop counter and fight back.

Quickly the man retreated and fled the scene with Mr Velji giving chase with a piece of wood.

The moment the man produces his knife

The 40-year-old dad shared this footage with police after the incident on April 23 at the Premier Convenience on Manchester Street.

He told the M.E.N that the man had entered the store a few minutes earlier and had been ‘eyeing up’ the spirits.

“I asked him what he was interested in, he told me he didn’t have enough money for the expensive stuff and kept looking," he said.

“I kept serving customers as he did, he was waiting for them to leave and the shop to be empty.

... before fleeing the store

“I picked up a bottle of vodka for him and turned around to put it in the till, I heard a noise behind me and the man had pulled out a knife and was coming at me behind the counter.

“It was a six-inch kitchen knife, my 16-year-old son was right there with me.

“I tried to hit him with the bottle of vodka and tripped over, I kicked him from the ground and then picked up a chair behind the counter and defended myself with it.

“I hit the panic button and the man ran off.

“The police were here within a minute of me hitting the button but it was too late, the guy was already around the corner.”

Thankfully neither Mr Velji or his son were injured, except for a few bruises.

Anil Velji, who runs Premier Convenience on Manchester Street in Oldham

Mr Velji added: “My son was in shock and couldn’t sleep for a few days. We’ve only been here five months and nothing like this has ever happened before.

“It’s the first time in my life I have ever been in a fight or scuffle, but it has definitely made me a stronger and less fearful person.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were aware of the incident and the video and appealed for information.

Contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111