UK: Indian-origin shopkeeper fights off robber using vodka bottle, chair

A brave 40-year-old Indian-origin shopkeeper in the United Kingdom fought off a knife-wielding robber using very unusual 'weapons' -- a bottle of vodka and a chair.

Anil Velji leaped into action when the raider burst into his convenience store in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and lunged at him with a knife.

With his teenage son by his side, Velji attempted to fend off his attacker with the spirit bottle before falling to the ground.

He kicked the man from the floor as he continued to come towards him, and managed to pick up a chair behind the shop counter and fight back.

Quickly the man retreated and fled the scene with Velji giving chase with a piece of wood, Manchester Evening News reported.

Velji shared this footage with police after the incident on April 23 at the Premier Convenience on Manchester Street.

He was quoted as saying that the man had entered the store a few minutes earlier and had been 'eyeing up' the spirits.

"I asked him what he was interested in, he told me he didn't have enough money for the expensive stuff and kept looking," Velji said.

"I kept serving customers as he did, he was waiting for them to leave and the shop to be empty. I picked up a bottle of vodka for him and turned around to put it in the till, I heard a noise behind me and the man had pulled out a knife and was coming at me behind the counter," he said.

"It was a six-inch kitchen knife. My 16-year-old son was right there with me. I tried to hit him with the bottle of vodka and tripped over. I kicked him from the ground and then picked up a chair behind the counter and defended myself with it. I hit the panic button and the man ran off," he added.

The police came within a minute of his hitting the button but it was too late and the robber had fled.

Neither Velji nor his son were injured, except for a few bruises.

"My son was in shock and couldn't sleep for a few days. We've only been here five months and nothing like this has ever happened before. It’s the first time in my life I have ever been in a fight or scuffle, but it has definitely made me a stronger and less fearful person," he said.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were aware of the incident.

IMAGE: A video grab shows Velji in white t-shirt confronted with the robber as his son, behind him, looked on.