Shopkeeper, 82, fights off robber by bashing him with walking stick

'I went hell for leather,' says grandmother-of-three. 'I really belted him. I wish I’d had something a bit harder so I could have finished him off'

An 82-year-old shopkeeper fought off a robber – by whacking him with her walking stick.

Grandmother-of-three June Turner refused to let the raider take money from her family newsagents in Hanley, Satffordshire, without a fight – and laid into him as he attempted to swipe cash from the till.

“I went hell for leather,” she said. “I think he was quite shocked. He wasn’t expecting that.”

Seemingly not fancying his chances, the younger man fled with just £50 in cash and six packs of cigarettes.

And, although Ms Turner was knocked to the ground and suffered a black eye as her assailant ran out, she was back up on her feet and behind the counter again within half an hour.

The whole episode, at 6.30am on Tuesday, was caught on CCTV.

Ms Turner, who has run A and J Newsagents since 1974, said of the robbery: “He came up to the counter and said, ‘I want your money’ but I said, ‘You’re not having my money’. He came round the back of the counter and got some money from the till.

“I couldn’t find the panic button so I got my stick and I really belted him with it.

“It was just instinct to try to stop him and give him a good whack.”

She added: “I thought there’s no way he’s having the money we work so hard to make.

“I wish I’d had something a bit harder with me, so I could have finished him off and knocked him out.

“’I don’t really know what was going through my head but I knew I had to defend our business by any means necessary. I was determined to protect myself and our shop.”

Talking about the moment the robber – who had draped a blanket over his head – decided to run, she added: “He pushed me to the floor and I was worried in case I broke my hip as I had a replacement a few years ago and I didn’t want to go through that again. And then he rushed out like the clappers.”

Ms Turner stayed on the ground until a customer came in and helped her.

She said: “If it happened again, I’d react the same – but with something heavier.”

Her 62-year-old son Alan, who helps run the shop, said: “She was very brave and I don’t think he’ll be back. I just hope nothing like this happens again and I’m just happy my mum is OK.”

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “Police are investigating a robbery in Hanley where a woman in her 80s was pushed to the floor are appealing for information.”

The suspect is described as white, aged between 25 and 30, with a slight blond moustache and wearing a black tracksuit.