A MAN has recounted the horrific moment a masked thug burst into the family store and held a knife to his terrified mother’s throat demanding cash. 

Omar Ali said his mother, who is not being named, was left severely traumatised after the raider fled with a substantial sum of cash from the Village Store Extra in Wheatley Hill, east Durham, shortly after 8pm on Thursday. 

The robbery was captured in dramatic CCTV footage, which shows the burly raider charged at her before forcing her behind the counter before taking cash from a till and safe. 

Mr Ali, who is also known by the stage name Omar Dayz, said: “It's driving me insane knowing I wasn't there to help her, but I can't let this scum get away.

“For me the amount of money he has taken is what he values my mother’s life at. Nobody has that right. I hope that as soon as he is found by the police he gets what is coming to him.”

The 26-year-old of Middlesbrough, said: “My mother, who was alone at the time, was closing the shop down and was walking around doing a stock take.

“She pulled the window shutters down, but hadn’t locked the door and turned around and walked toward the back of the shop - and that’s when whoever it was came in.

“He charged straight toward her and barged into her and pulled out a large knife. He put it to her throat and said 'give me all the money'.”

The robber, who spoke with a local accent, forced her behind the counter where he took cash from the till and a small post office safe. He put the cash in a blue bag before fleeing. 

Mr Ali added: “My personal view is that it must be somebody who knows the shop and is a regular customer, because of the way he walked in and knew where everything was.  

“My mother is still shaken up. She keeps having flashbacks about it. I'm just happy she is not hurt."

A police spokesman said: “Police are appealing for witnesses after a man armed with a knife held up the owner of a general store in Wheatley Hill last night.

“The man, wearing a balaclava and dark clothing entered the store, on Wingate Lane at around 8.10pm on Thursday. 

"He brandished the knife at the female owner, who was also the sole member of staff in the premises and demanded money from the till. He also took a large sum of cash from the small safe located inside the store, which also functions as a post office.

“The suspect, described as average height and stocky build, the left the store and headed off in an unknown direction. His victim was left extremely shaken, but physically uninjured."

Detectives from Peterlee CID are carrying out enquiries and asking anyone who may have seen a man acting suspiciously in the area, between 7.45 and 8.15pm last night to come forward.

They should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, 0800-555-111.