Have-a-go hero puts gun raider to flight

This is the moment a gunman pointed his weapon at a Wolverhampton shopkeeper - who sent the robber packing when he waved a baseball bat at him.

Lavinder Banga, aged 28, took the split second decision to produce the bat at his Wednesfield store, despite looking down the barrel of a handgun. Dramatic CCTV footage released by

Mr Banga today shows the hooded thief, dressed all in black, storming in to Wood End Wines.

He appears to catch an item of clothing on the door and swings around, before marching up to the counter with the pistol in one hand and a black carrier bag in the other.

Mr Banga today recalled: "I was sitting down watching TV behind the counter and he just came in. When he turned back round after looking at the door he had a gun in his hand.

"He said 'Put the money in the bag, you give me the money.' He was trying to be husky with his voice and I just said: 'You what?'

"He said it again and I just picked up the baseball bat and he legged it. You can see from his reaction what he thought of it."

Mr Banga, who has been running the shop on Wood End Road for the last eight months, said he had been worried when the gun was pointed at him, but his "fight or flight" instincts took over. He left the shop but the getaway car, believed to have been red, had already been driven away after the robbery, which happened at around 10.30pm on Sunday.

Mr Banga said: "It is a big worry. It is happening. It is part of the job, but obviously you've got to be looking over your shoulder."

Asked if he would repeat his heroics if confronted again, he said: "I'd do it 100 per cent. It's my money, it's not like I'm working for somebody else. If someone tries to steal from me, I have to fight back."

Police were today appealing for anyone with information to contact 0345 113 5000.