A man has been charged with theft and assault after Tesco and Londis workers were reportedly threatened with an axe.

Benjamin Clapp, 38, of no fixed address, will appear before Margate Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 25.

He was charged with two counts of theft from a shop, three counts of threatening a person with an offensive weapon and one count of assault.

Clapp was arrested after police were called to Tesco Express in New Dover Road, Canterbury at 9.14pm on Wednesday.

Police were also called to Londis in St Dunstan's Street earlier that evening, during which a member of staff was allegedly threatened with an axe by a man demanding scratch cards.

The shop's manager told KentOnline that staff had been left "shaken up".

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