STAFF at a Southampton convenience store have been left traumatised after a knifepoint robbery.

Armed police rushed to Best-One in Station Road, Sholing, following reports of a man brandishing a large knife.

According to staff, the robber was wearing a black bin bag with holes as mask to disguise himself during the incident at around 12.30pm yesterday.

The man is believed to have snatched around £100 in cash as well as taking a haul of tobacco.

One member of staff who wished to remain unnamed said: “It was horrific.

“A chap came in wearing a dark hoodie and a plastic bin bag over his head.

“He had a vegetable knife and demanded money from the till.

“It’s very traumatic.

“I did not want to come in to work today.

“We work hard and people come in and think they can get away with stealing from the shop.”

A police spokesperson said last night: “We were called at 12.29pm with reports of a robbery at a shop on Station Road, Southampton.

“It was reported that a man entered the store carrying a knife, and stole £100 cash and some tobacco.”

Officers have since arrested a 33-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of robbery.

At the time of writing the man remains in police custody, however, witnesses with any information about the incident are urged to contact police by calling 101.

The robbery comes just months after thieves attempted to blow up a cash machine at the same store.

As reported in August, shocked residents were awoken in the middle of the night by a “huge gunshot-like” bang caused by the explosion of a cash machine.

One resident, who lives nearby, described feeling his house shake from the explosion and described it as “louder than a huge firework”.

The resident added how he ran out with an extinguisher to put out the blaze and found burning cash notes and debris scattered about.