TWO men thwarted a gun-wielding masked robber and his accomplice after they walked into a railway station caf in Bournemouth and demanded cash.

The attempted raid happened on the same day the Daily Echo revealed a shopkeeper in Poole refused to hand over money to a robber who was threatening him at point blank range with a sawn-off shotgun.

In the latest incident, the caf owners, who do not want to be named, had just started work on Friday at Light Bites, at the entrance to Pokesdown Station in Christchurch Road.

One of the men explained: "My colleague came in at five to eight and I got in at ten past. I hadn't taken my coat off. I put my bags in the office and turned round to come out. As I did so, this lad walked across the doorway. I challenged him because people have a habit of trying to sneak in to use our toilets.

"When I spoke to him, I suddenly realised he had a revolver and it was pointing at me. It went through my mind: 'I'm in trouble here'. He said: 'Give me the money'. With that, the other guy came in.

"They stood side by side facing me. I was just stunned, but I didn't do what he said. I didn't give him the money. I shouted for my colleague at the top of my voice and he responded."

As his colleague came round to his side of the counter, the man shouted a warning to him about the gun.

"My colleague wrapped his hands round the robber from the back and at the same time, he was able to go back quickly with his elbow.

"He must have hit the other fellow in the face.

"I went back and the table and chairs fell over, creating a large noise. They backed off and went. A lady saw them running away."

The man said there was little cash in the caf at the time. The float of about £350 had been stolen the previous day and other items had gone missing over the previous few weeks.

"Somebody must have surveyed the place. We have been aware that there's something happening."

British Transport Police are now studying CCTV footage and have issued an appeal for anyone who saw the two robbers running away from Pokesdown Station just after 8.10am on Friday.

The man with the gun had a dirty white woolly scarf over his face and the other man also had his face hidden.

They are thought to be in their 30s. One was wearing a fawn jacket and the other a blue anorak.

Anyone with information is asked to ring British Transport Police's control room on 0207 391 5275.

First published: October 15