A PETROL station cashier in Lickey was threatened with being shot by two balaclava-clad men.

The armed robbery happened at Lynwood Service Station, known at Rosehill garage, in Old Birmingham Road, last Thursday night just before 8.30pm.

The two men went into the garage, which was empty at the time, and one put what appeared to be a pistol to the head of the cashier and threatened to shoot him.

The cashier, a man in his forties, initially refused to hand any money over and then managed to sound the alarm. The two men ran off empty handed towards Monument Lane.

The two men are described as white and in their teens or early 20s. One also had a purple carrier bag.

DC Terry Markovics, of Bromsgrove CID, said: "At this stage we don't know whether it was a real gun. The cashier was uninjured, but extremely shocked."

He added: "We would like to appeal for information from anyone who saw anything suspicious, before, during or after the incident, including anyone who saw these two men running away or possibly getting into a vehicle."

DC Markovics also said he wanted to trace a man who was sitting on a bench nearby and was a possible witness.

Anyone with information should contact Bromsgrove police on 08457 444888 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.