with a knife as he tried to snatch a cash box.

Ms Joanne Raynor, 39, was working in the Newstead Hotel, on Harbour Road, Paget, when the man, dressed all in black and wearing a mask with eye slits cut out, walked into the building.

He told Ms Raynor to be quiet, but she grabbed him and wrestled with the man until he suddenly produced a knife.

The man snatched the cash box, but bartender Mr. Kim White heard her screaming and grabbed the man. The robber wriggled free and started to run to the door when Mr. White tripped him and he fled empty handed. The incident happened at about 10 p.m. on Friday evening and later, Ms Raynor said she was "just about'' over the shock.

"I was standing with my back to the front desk and was leaning against a doorway speaking to someone when I heard somebody behind me,'' she said.

"There was a man dressed in black with a ski mask over his face walking towards the cash box. He held his finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet.'' Ms Raynor, who also works for the Police as an administrator, added: "I started fighting with him and he smacked me on the lip. Then he produced the knife and I backed off.'' She said the man then ran towards the door with the cash box but Mr. White, who heard her screaming, came and grabbed the man.

"They were scuffling and I was shouting `he has a knife, he has a knife'. The man started running towards the door with the cash box and Mr. White tripped him up and got the box back.'' Police were called and enquiries into the incident are still continuing. Ms.

Raynor added: "I cannot believe what I did and it all happened really quickly. It was a frightening experience, but it was a basic instinct to protect the property. I was glad Kim was there, though.''