A NEWSAGENT today told of the terrifying moment she looked down the barrel of a gun after a robber tried to hold up her York shop.

Bev Tebbutt, owner of Number One 4 News, was packing cigarettes at about 4.45pm yesterday when she turned round to find herself confronted by a teenage robber pointing a handgun at her.

But he fled the shop, at the junction of Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma Gate and Stonebow, after he was disturbed by a customer.

Mrs Tebbutt said she heard a voice from behind. "I heard him say 'Give me all your notes now'," she said.

"I thought it was someone I knew being silly. He had a scarf over his face and his hood was up. He was holding a gun.

"He said 'Come on, stop messing about'. I was shaking so much I couldn't get into the till."

Mrs Tebbutt said it was a "frightening" experience that lasted two to three minutes.

She said: "He made me so nervous. Luckily someone came in. I was so pleased when he pushed in."

The teenager then ran off empty-handed.

Mrs Tebbutt said the newsagent's shop had a panic alarm, but said she had delayed pushing the button because she did not want to provoke the robber.

A York Police spokesman said Mrs Tebbutt was "frightened, but not physically hurt" in the raid.

He said the robber, who was wearing a grey hooded fleece with a dark woollen scarf tied around his face, ran off in the direction of St Saviourgate.

Forensic teams spent several hours scouring the store for fingerprints and other clues. It is not known if the gun was real or a replica.

Detectives at York CID were today appealing for anyone who was in the area, or saw a teenager answering the description, to phone them on 0845 60 60 24 7.

Updated: 14:26 Thursday, December 23, 2004