A PETRIFIED shop worker has today told how she feared she would be killed when masked robbers threatened her during a raid.The 52-year-old mum-of-two, who does not wish to be named because she fears she will be targeted as she saw a gang member's face, said she was still nervous about returning to work in case the youths came back for more.

A PETRIFIED shop worker has today told how she feared she would be killed when masked robbers threatened her during a raid.

The 52-year-old mum-of-two, who does not wish to be named because she fears she will be targeted as she saw a gang member's face, said she was still nervous about returning to work in case the youths came back for more.

She had been working along with a 16-year-old colleague in Bolton Stores, Bolton Road, Ipswich, at about 7.45pm on Friday, December 15, when the three men came in through the back door and demanded cash.

She said: “The young lad I was working with had gone to put some rubbish out.

“They got him cornered in the kitchen and they asked him where the tills were.

“One of them stayed in there with him.

“At the same time I went to go out to the stock room and came face-to-face with the other two.”

The woman explained that one of the men did not have their face covered up at the time, although the other one was wearing a balaclava, so she was terrified he would not let her escape in case she was able to identify him.

She said: “They said 'This is a robbery, take me to the tills'.

“I did everything they told me because I was so frightened.

“One of them was pointing something at me from under his jumper - I thought it was a gun.

“I was scared I might die, I thought they'd shoot me.

“They got angry with me because I wouldn't open the till quick enough because my hand was shaking so much.

“You see things like this on television and never think it would happen to you.”

The woman's ordeal finally stopped when a customer walked in through the front door and the robbers escaped out of the back.

During the raid the robbers stole around £1,000 of cash from the tills as well as phone cards and stamps.

The woman added: “Hopefully I can go back to normal. Everyone has said I acted so well when it happened because we watched the CCTV footage back.

“But I have been jumping when people come in and I can remember just how horrified I was.”

Weblink: www.suffolk.police.uk

The robbers

The first man was black, about 5ft, slim, with a small face. He was wearing black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the sides, a black hooded top and a red balaclava.

The second man was black, between 5ft 3ins and 5ft 8ins, of a muscular build and was wearing black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the sides, a dark grey or cream hooded top and a light grey scarf over his face.

And the third man is described as white, between 5ft 6ins and 5ft 9ins and slim. He was wearing dark clothing, a scarf over his face, black gloves and a green camouflage beanie hat. He was also carrying a backpack.

The trio were all believed to be between 15 and 20-years-old.

Anyone with information about the robbery, which happened on Friday at 7.45pm, is asked to call Dc Geoff Lucas at Ipswich CID on 01473 613500.