The owner of a convenience store on an Ipswich estate has spoken of his anger after it was targeted by raiders for the second time in a few months.

Zulfikar Mihar was speaking the day after money from the till was snatched and bottles of drink were taken from The Corner Store on the junction of Clapgate Lane and Mildmay Road on the Gainsborough estate.

Three or four raiders wearing balaclavas burst into the shop between 8pm and 8.30pm on Saturday night.

Mr Mihar said: “The assistant was at the back and they came in and held a knife to his throat. It was very nasty.”

The assistant was off work yesterday recovering from his ordeal.

The raiders seemed to know what they were doing, they disabled the CCTV system that operates in the shop so there was no recording of the raid.

“There were three members of the public in the shop when they came in and they were told to stay out of the way,” said Mr Mihar,

It was the second raid on the shop in the last five or six months. “I have run this shop for about four years and it provides a valuable service to the community.

“My friend runs another store like this near the college and they were raided in a similar way not that long ago – the people unplugged the CCTV so there was no recording there either.”

Police said all of the raiders wore dark clothing and balaclavas or masks over their faces. No one was injured during the robbery.

Police carried out a number of enquiries and officers are looking at other CCTV in the area.

They are keen to hear from anyone who was in the Clapgate Lane area near to Mildmay Road on Saturday evening who may have any information about the incident.

Calls can be made to Ipswich CID on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.