A PENSIONER helped thwart a raid on a newsagents by hitting two masked robbers with her shopping bag.

The 78-year-old swung her bag twice, hitting the men on the shoulder as they fled the Martin’s newsagent, in Darlington, empty-handed after assaulting the shopkeeper.

“I saw two lads in balaclavas rush past me towards the post office,” the pensioner said last night.

“I put my shopping bag out towards them. Unfortunately, there wasn’t really anything heavy in it.”

The men, who were dressed in balaclavas and dark clothing, entered the newsagent in Whitby Way, in the Branksome area, at 9.40am in Saturday.

They were not armed and it is believed they had been targeting the post office inside the shop.

The men, who did not speak during the raid, pushed the shopkeeper out of the way, knocking over a display. One of the raiders then went to the rear of the premises.

However, when he failed to get past a secure door to the post room, the pair left.

Police say the shopkeeper tried to stop them and the pensioner, who has asked to remain anonymous, entered the fray. The incident was over in seconds and was captured on CCTV.

The woman, who rarely visits the newsagent on a Saturday morning because her neighbour usually collects her newspaper, said: “I had my back to them when they came running in and was being served at the counter".

“I heard a scuffle and thought it was a fight or something.

The whole thing lasted less than 30 seconds. It was only after they left that the penny dropped and I realised they intended to rob the shop.”

The pensioner said she acted without thinking, but was left distressed and at first did not tell her family what had happened.

“I didn’t want to worry them,” she said. “After it happened, I was shaking all over.

They had to get a chair for me.

I hope I never have to go through anything like it again.”

Detective Constable Duncan Mutter, of Darlington police, said the shopkeeper had also played his part in preventing the would-be thieves taking anything. “His intervention has possibly prevented them going any further,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0345-60- 60-365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.”

No one from Martin’s was available for comment.