By Becky HallewellA SHOP manager has told of his terrifying ordeal after three masked robbers armed with a gun struck at his store.The gang targeted the Stop to Shop store and post office in Cressing Road, Braintree, at about 9pm on Monday.

By Becky Hallewell

A SHOP manager has told of his terrifying ordeal after three masked robbers armed with a gun struck at his store.

The gang targeted the Stop to Shop store and post office in Cressing Road, Braintree, at about 9pm on Monday.

They threatened staff with a gun and forced them to hand over £210 from the till and about 200 cigarettes before fleeing.

Speaking yesterday, store manager, Ram Ramadassou, 30, said: “They were fully masked and you could only see their eyes. They just walked up to the till and pointed a gun at my colleague.

“We were both on the till and they asked me to put all the money in the bag. We stood still. They said 'Do it otherwise we will shoot you - come on, do it'.

“We had no choice. One stood near the door blocking it. The other had the pistol and the other had the bag, and then they just walked away. It did not take more than a couple of minutes.”

He added: “I was shocked immediately. I'm a bit stressed and one of my staff is a bit stressed and worried and he did not come to work today.

“The other's a bit stressed also. But it happens everywhere. You can't let something like this change things.”

The robbers were described as aged in 20s, with local accents and all wore head scarves over their faces. They are thought to have escaped in a battered white Ford Fiesta.

The gunman was white, slim, about 5ft 7in tall, wearing dark trousers and a light blue hooded top. One of his accomplices was white, slightly taller and wearing a brown top and a cream hooded top.

Essex Police said the raid was not being linked to a spate of similar crimes that have been carried out across East Anglia.

Anyone with information should contact Braintree police on 01376 553132 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.