SHOCKED staff have told how two men tried to raid a Hampshire petrol station by twice spraying the cashier with a mystery substance.

Colleagues of the 25-year-old cashier say she escaped unhurt after raising her hands to shield her eyes.

The raiders, one of whom was armed with a iron bar, did not demand any money and fled empty handed.

The incident took place at the Courtesy filling station in Romsey Road, Cadnam, on Monday just before 5.30am.

Site manager Sharon Hughes said: “Two men came in through the rear entrance and one of them tried to spray the cashier in the face with some sort of gas or pepper.

“She reacted very quickly and put her hands up to protect her face as well as pressing the panic button.

“After walking towards the office one of the men returned to the counter and sprayed the cashier again, but it caught her near the mouth and she didn’t lose any vision.

“An ambulance crew gave her a check-up and her clothes were taken away for forensic examination.

“It was a frightening incident for two employees who were on duty at the time but they both coped very well – we couldn’t have asked any more of them.

“The strange thing is that the men didn’t demand any money and cleared off after about five minutes without stealing anything.”

A police spokesman confirmed that the cashier was unhurt.

He added: “One of the men sprayed her with an unknown substance while holding what appeared to be a metal bar. Both men then walked into the office area where the cash and stock are located, but nothing was stolen.”

Police are anxious to hear from anyone who saw two men acting suspiciously in the area at the time.

Det Con Russell Smith said: “After leaving the filling station they are believed to have gone into Old Lyndhurst Road. Someone may have seen a vehicle there that appeared out of place.”

The garage and other businesses in the area have been targeted before, possibly because the neighbouring M27 provides robbers with a quick getaway route.

The two men involved in the latest incident are described as white and aged between 18 and 23.

Anyone with information is urged to ring 101, quoting reference number 44170151884, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.