A 40-year old woman bravely fought off a masked man with a knife.

The woman was working in family business, the Corner Shop, Ruskin Road, Carshalton on Tuesday, November 22, when a man with a scarf covering his face came into the shop at about 5pm and asked for cigarettes.

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I felt strange – I didn’t give them to him straight away and I asked for the money first.”

However, events turned sour when the man’s card was declined.

The shopkeeper said: “I gave him back the card and he put it in his pocket; at the same time he took a knife out with his other hand and lifted up the counter.

“He came towards me and I thought he was going to kill me so I just tried to stop him.

“I held his hand with the knife in it and pushed him backwards.

“He came out [from behind the counter] and tried again to come in. I just started screaming and pushed the alarm for upstairs.

“I didn’t think about what I was doing, I just wanted to save my life.

The man said: “Give me all your money and I won’t do anything.”

However, when a customer walked in the man darted out of the shop.

Police have put out a plea for any information about the man, who is described as white, aged about 40 to 45, 5ft 7in and of medium build.

He was wearing a dark coat, green jumper and blue jeans. He had a scarf wrapped around the bottom of his face and was wearing a black beanie hat.

If you have any information call Sutton police station on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.