A BRAVE shopkeeper stood up to an armed robber brandishing a gun in his shop and snatched the weapon out of his hands.

John Buckley, 32, stormed into Rasaratnam Rahulan’s shop on August 5, pointing a gun at him, staff and customers and demanding cash.

But Buckley was foiled when Mr Rahulan, 33, together with a courageous customer at News 2000, in Roker Avenue, Sunderland, wrestled the weapon from him and detained him until the police arrived.

Mr Rahulan bravely snatched the gun – which later turned out to be a replica – from the armed robber’s hands.

Dramatic CCTV footage shows the moment Buckley points the gun at Mr Rahulan, threatening staff and customers.

He ordered the shopworker to put his hands down on the counter, but he calmly refused.

Buckley shouts at Mr Rahulan to hand over the cash and tells other customers to leave the store.

But when his back is turned for a brief moment, Mr Rahulan grabs the gun and Buckley tries to flee the store. He is then tackled to the ground by a mystery customer, who held him until police arrived.

Mr Rahulan said: “I was talking to him for a couple of minutes then I just decided to grab the gun. I don’t know why.

“I thought if he was going to shoot me, he would have done it by then.”

At Newcastle Crown Court on Monday, Buckley, of no fixed address, admitted attempted robbery and having an imitation firearm at the time of committing the offence.

His barrister Robert Newcombe said the offence was committed against a background of alcohol abuse and suicide attempts.

The case was adjourned until November 23.