A MINEHEAD shopworker has told of the moment he was attacked by masked robbers in a botched robbery on Saturday night. Shop assistant Mark Middleton was hit on the arm with a piece of wood when two balaclava-clad men burst into the Forbouys convenience store in Park Street and demanded the contents of a till. He told the Free Press: "They just ran into the shop and hit me with a piece of wood. "I didn't get a chance to say anything. They just hit me and then started smashing up the till area." Mark, aged 21, who lives in Minehead, had only been working at the shop for five weeks when the drama unfolded at 8.30pm on Saturday. But he was back at work again on Tuesday, shocked but fortunately unhurt by his ordeal. "I've been all right since. Everyone here has been very good," he said. Police said the raiders were both young men, between 5ft 6ins and 5ft 8ins tall. They grabbed an empty till tray before escaping in a blue Vauxhall Astra, registration G79 NYC, which was driven by an accomplice. The car had been reported as stolen from the Minehead area earlier in the day and was found on fire in nearby Parks Lane shortly after the robbery. Police believe the thieves set fire to the car before driving off in a beige-coloured 4x4 vehicle. An Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who saw the offenders enter or leave the store, or who saw a blue Astra matching the description in the area during the afternoon or evening. "We would also like to speak to anyone who saw a beige-coloured 4x4 vehicle in the Parks Lane area at around 8.30pm as the offenders may have got into this vehicle after abandoning the Astra." Anyone with information about the robbery should contact Bridgwater CID on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Calls to Crimestoppers can be anonymous and could result in a reward. Information can also be given via the secure Crimestoppers contact form at http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/crimestoppers/">www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/crimestoppers/ contact_form.aspx.
