This is the terrifying moment an axe-wielding thug storms into a shop and attacks the owner before his wife bravely fights back.

The robber barged into Weston News in Worcester at around 2.30pm last Thursday (6/2).

CCTV shows the shopkeeper standing at the door when the thug bursts in brandishing a fire axe.

Incredibly, as he pushed the terrified shopkeeper towards the till, the victim's wife confronted the robber.

Footage shows her using her bare hands to try and shove the crazed axe man while protecting her husband.

At one point the violent crook holds a blade against the shopkeeper's throat while demanding cash from the till.

After stuffing wads of notes into his pocket, the crook fled on foot.

The shopkeeper, 55, who did not want to be named, said: "I did not understand what he wanted from me."

"He did not ask for any money from the till."

"I thought he wanted to kill or really badly hurt me. I had to offer him money before he was willing to leave."

The man also praised his "brave wife" after she tried to slap the axe out of his hand."

The man's wife said: "I didn't think about it, I just reacted out of instinct and tried to stop him from attacking us."

It is not the first time the couple have been attacked – in November they were held up at knife point by an armed robber.

The husband said: "I am really upset by this all and I think we are being targeted."

"There has been a lot of shoplifting recently, they [shoplifters] come in with knives and I can tell when someone has a knife on them. "

"It is happening all the time."

"Most people are good, but a few criminals are always targeting us."

"I am really fed up of this now. Every day it is in the news that someone has been attacked or stolen from. "

"More people are getting injured every day."

Hours after last Thursday's robbery a man armed with an axe robbed another shop nearby stealing cash and tobacco.

Police searching the area found an axe hidden under a van.

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the robbery.

Detective Chief Inspector James Bamber, of West Mercia Police, said:

"Thankfully, no one was injured during either of the robberies and officers swiftly recovered weapons we believe to have been involved."

"Extensive enquiries continued and led to the arrest of a man. We are not currently looking to identify anyone else in relation to the incidents."