Hampshire Police are appealing after intruders sprayed an unknown substance into the face of a 25-year-old female cashier at the Courtesy filling station in Romsey Road, Cadnam.

The incident occurred after two men entered the petrol station’s shop at around 5.30am on Monday April 24.

One man sprayed the cashier with an unknown substance from a small canister. He was holding what appeared to be a metal bar in his other hand.

Both men then entered the office area where the stock and cash machine are located, but nothing was stolen.

Site manager Sharon Hughes told the Southern Daily Echo: “Two men came in through the rear entrance and one of them tried to spray the cashier in the face with some sort of gas or pepper.

“She reacted very quickly and put her hands up to protect her face as well as pressing the panic button.

“After walking towards the office one of the men returned to the counter and sprayed the cashier again, but it caught her near the mouth and she didn’t lose any vision.

“An ambulance crew gave her a check-up and her clothes were taken away for forensic examination.

“It was a frightening incident for two employees who were on duty at the time but they both coped very well – we couldn’t have asked any more of them.

“The strange thing is that the men didn’t demand any money and cleared off after about five minutes without stealing anything.”

A police spokesman confirmed that the cashier was unhurt. The men are described as white, aged between 18 and 23.

Detective constable Russell Smith said: “If you saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time, please get in touch.

“The men are believed to have left behind the filling station and headed on to Old Lyndhurst Road. You may have seen a vehicle on that road that appeared out of place.”

“If you have any information relating to this case, please call 101 quoting reference 44170151884, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”