A BRAVE shop owner chased a robber out of his store with a cricket bat after being attacked with a 10-inch kitchen knife.

Rajesh Parmar, 51, of Chelmsford, was working behind the till at his shop, Roystons Express store, in Waterhouse Lane, Chelmsford, when a man, armed with a knife, demanded money.

He stabbed Mr Parmar, but was chased away by the dad-of-two, who had a cricket bat behind the till.

Mr Parmar, who owns the shop with his wife, Rajshree, said: “He took out a knife, held it over the counter and said: ‘Empty the till’.

“I said: ‘No way’, bent down to grab my cricket bat and he leant over and went to stab me.

“I chased him out of the shop with the cricket bat and he ran away.

“It wasn’t until I called the police that I felt stinging and realised he had got me with the knife.”

Although the suspect ran off and Mr Parmar suffered a small cut to his lower back, his family have been upset by the incident, which took place at about 4.20pm on Monday, April, 20.

Mrs Parmar, 44, said: “He was very lucky as he had a thick sweatshirt and T-shirt on, or it might have been worse.

“It’s very frightening. I couldn’t sleep that night worrying what might have happened if I was there alone.”

Mr Parmar added:“I’m pleased I chased him off as we work so hard. Why should he get something for nothing?”

The suspect is described as a white man, about 5ft 10ins tall, who spoke with a Northern accent.

He wore a black, hooded jacket, a cap with a white logo, gloves and possibly blue tracksuit bottoms, with white stripes on the side.

Witnesses can call Chelmsford CID on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.