A NEWSAGENT suffered a terrifying ordeal when a man wearing a balaclava threatened him with a handgun and a knife during a robbery. Prem Pal was behind the counter at his shop NRP News in High Street, Henlow, when the gunman confronted him just after 1pm

A NEWSAGENT suffered a terrifying ordeal when a man wearing a balaclava threatened him with a handgun and a knife during a robbery.

Prem Pal was behind the counter at his shop NRP News in High Street, Henlow, when the gunman confronted him just after 1pm on Monday.

The man aimed the gun at Mr Pal's head and waved the knife threateningly as he demanded the till to be opened.

At the other side of the shop was Mr Pal's wife Vidya, who runs the sub-post office.

"I could hear all this noise and shouting so I pressed my panic button. The man then ran from the shop. It was very frightening," said Mrs Pal.

After snatching about £60 from the till, the gunman fled from the shop and made his getaway on a pushbike.

Mr Pal chased after him and confronted him outside the Engineers Arms in Henlow.

After getting in and out of a builder's van, the man vanished.

He left his bike outside the pub.

"I was terrified. The man just walked in and pulled out a gun and a knife and told me to open the till," said Mr Pal, who was a victim of a robbery five years ago when three men snatched cash.

"To me the gun looked real and I was very frightened.

"It was horrible and I just opened the till and he snatched the cash and ran out of the shop and I ran after him."

Police have appealed to anyone who was in Henlow High Street at the time of the incident to contact investigating officer Dc Louisa Glynn on 01582 473331.

# A man was later arrested by police and released on bail to return to Dunstable police station on August 23 pending further inquiries.