A masked raider threatened a forecourt employee with a Samurai sword in an attack at the Murco service station in Ingol, Preston, last Saturday night. The man threatened the worker with the sword before making off with less than £100 from the till.

Speaking to the Lancashire Evening Post, the detective leading the investigation described the incident as “truly terrifying”.

Detective Sergeant John Crichton of Preston CID said: “It appears the attacker hid behind the pump on the garage’s forecourt and waited for the attendant to be on his own.

“He then propped the door open using a cone, pulled out what appears to be a sawn-off Samurai sword from a bag he was carrying, and subjected the man to a truly terrifying attack.”