A shopkeeper has spoken out after his wife was threatened by a masked man with a knife who made off with cash in a terrifying raid.

The armed robber walked into Marlow News, in Newtown Road, just before 9pm on January 11 and targeted a female member of staff with a knife.

Balasubramaniam Srisankar, who heads up the newsagents, said the attack has left his wife terrified of being by herself in the shop.

He said: “My wife was sweeping the floor when a man came into the shop and pulled a knife out.

“He then tried to open the till three times. My daughter was upstairs and my wife was downstairs on her own.

“She is never normally on her own, there are usually two of us, but that day I had taken my son to play cricket.

“It was the only time she has been alone [in the shop].”

The robber made off with one of the black till drawers and ran off down Newtown Road, turning into an alleyway which leads to Willowmead Close.

Mr Srisankar’s 13-year-old daughter, who was in their home upstairs, called the police after she heard what was happening in the shop.

He added: “We have been here for 14 years and nothing like this has ever happened before. It has never been a problem.

“We have never had any threats of any kind.

“My wife had a go at him with the broom but he pulled it [from her] and threw it away, and then ran off.

“We really want the person to be caught. Not because of my money but we don’t want it to happen to anyone else.

“It is very, very shocking as I never thought it would happen to me. My wife was really scared. She doesn’t even want to go out into the back anymore by herself.

“I really want the police to catch him.”

The robber is described as a white man who was wearing a black scarf covering his face.

He was wearing all black clothing with work boots and blue rubber gloves, and had his hood up with a grey baseball cap underneath.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Aimee Summers, based at High Wycombe police station, said: “We would urge anyone who saw the offender or anyone acting suspiciously to call us as a matter of urgency.

“Anyone with any concerns about the incident can speak to local officers.”

If you have any information relating to the robbery, call 101 quoting reference 43180011295.