Battling Bridgett beats off shop bandit

Bridgett (41), was sorting newspapers at 6.30am at Piper’s Papers, Maltby, when the man came in and leaned over the counter.

She told him to take off the mask, but when he replied: “No, I’m here to rob the shop,” Bridgett sprang into action.

“He started strangling and hitting me over the head, but I wouldn’t let go, even though he was quite strong. I’d never experienced anything like it.

“It was a shock and I didn’t really think of what I was doing, I just acted on instinct,” she said.

The man eventually pushed Bridgett into the sweet counter and ran off with around 200 cigarettes, leaving the bruised worker to call the police and shop owner David Piper, who was out delivering papers.

Mr Piper (69) paid tribute to Bridgett saying she had done “wonderfully well.”

The robber is described as being tall, in his late 20s or early 30, wearing a black jacket, white top and black trousers.