A brave shop assistant took on a knife-wielding robber by producing her own blade and chasing him off.
Fearless Lorraine McCalliskey, 36, turned the tables on the hooded thug who turned and fled the shop in Tiverton, Devon.
CCTV footage of the dramatic incident shows the shop worker calmly reach into a draw under the till before grabbing her knife and leaping into action.
The robber brandishes a steak knife at Lorraine McCalliskey and orders her to open up the till
She then ran after the man as he sprinted down the road.
The drama unfolded as Ms McCalliskey was preparing to close up The Mini Market at 10pm on November 8.
The man walked in, covered head to toe in black with only his eyes visible and waited for the shop worker to emerge.
Then, brandishing a steak knife he ordered her to open up the till.
But he became terrified when she picked up her own weapon and said: ‘Come on then, let’s have a go if you want to have a go’.
Ms McCalliskey said: ‘I always thought this would happen one day and I was thinking “this is happening now”.
‘I thought “Do I have time to get my knife out?”
‘I went to the till and under the till is where we have a small packing knife for stationery.
The thug then jumps back as Ms McCalliskey produces her own blade and challenges him
‘It was quite surreal. If he put his arm out with the knife he was close enough to have stabbed me. He was using it to gesture.
‘He had his knife downwards but I had mine right in front of me.
The shop assistant added that she debated whether to hand over the money but decided against it.
She said: ‘I thought “No, I’m not going to give him the money I’m going to get a knife”. I suppose it was the adrenalin kicking in.
‘When I said “let’s have a go”, he jumped back.’
Ms McCalliskey – who said the thug had a Liverpool accent – said she did not think her actions were reckless and she would do the same thing again.
The shop assistant shouts after the man as he flees the shop before giving chase
‘I felt absolutely fine afterwards,’ she added. ‘The police told me later to get myself a stiff drink and calm down but I thought I was calm.
‘We had the best result in that I was not harmed and he didn’t get any money.’
Shop owner, Alizon Martin, praised Lorraine’s bravery.
She added: ‘He must have thought that the till would be full just before closing. My history with the shop goes back almost 30 years and I’ve never experienced anything like this.
‘He was wearing a balaclava and possibly with a hood up. Lorraine was incredibly brave.’
Police are still hunting the foiled raider.