A 20-year-old cashier has spoken about the moment she outfoxed a pistol-wielding robber during a hold-up at her betting shop.

Despite being terrified by the gunman, Laura Harman threw cash in a flip-top bin and flustered the attacker so he fled with just £900 instead of a haul of more than £2,000.

Laura, cashier at Panbet in Brookfield Court at Ashford, said: “He pointed the gun right at me. I was terrified but when he said 'throw me the money’ I did and it went straight in the bin. He panicked and then it was all over the floor.

“You hear about the risks but you never think anything like this is going to happen to you. I was a bit shaken up but it is business as usual now.”

Her manager Frank Cook said: “He could get 14 years for this. That is 14 years for just £900. He wants his head examined. Get a job instead.”

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact Det Con Sid Coffin on 01233 896285.