A SHOP worker has told of the terrifying moment a masked robber attacked him with CS spray to steal from a till.

Jakob Karp suffered a burning sensation to his eyes, face and neck after the raider sprayed the substance in a robbery at Boscombe Gardens Food Centre in Bournemouth.

Store manager Mr Karp was behind the counter at the Christchurch Road store when he was approached by a man whose face was covered with a scarf on Saturday November 9 at around 9.15pm.

He told the Daily Echo: “He was reaching across the counter. I could only see his eyes and the next thing I knew he had sprayed something in my face.

“It was really painful and it was burning and itchy. He grabbed the drawer out of the till and ran over the road towards Drummond Road.”

Mr Karp said he was only working at the time because he had swapped shifts with a colleague.

He was checked over by paramedics but did not require hospital treatment.

Police were alerted and the till drawer was recovered.from a bush near St Clement’s Church.

Now they have appealed for information in a bid to track down the offender.

The robber is described as white and was wearing a black North Face jacket with green around the chest and shoulders, a green hooded top, black Adidas tracksuit bottoms and black trainers with yellow soles.

He was also wearing camouflage gloves, a dark-coloured beanie hat with a white mark on the left side and a black snood pulled up over his mouth and nose.

Detective Constable Neil Causebrook, of Bournemouth CID, said: “This must have been a very frightening ordeal for the cashier and we are carrying out a number of enquiries to identify the man responsible for this robbery.

“I would urge anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area or who has any information that can assist our investigation to please contact us.”

A worker in a neighbouring shop said: “This is not a nice area to work in but I only have to be here during the day. I feel sorry for anyone working at night around here - it can be quite intimidating.”

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Dorset Police on 101, quoting occurrence number 55190177286, or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.