A terrified shop assistant reportedly wrenched a knife out of a schoolboy's hands as he held it to his face shouting "I'll do you".

The incident is reported to have happened after a staff member at East Street News in Sittingbourne told two youngsters to leave the store, after identifying them as troublemakers.

Nimal Ramachandran, 42, who owns the newsagent, said: "My staff member is 24 but this has left him shaken.

"Two kids, who we had previously banned because we had caught them shoplifting many times, tried get in.

"We tried to stop them but they slipped in. So we shut the door. Then one of them took a knife out of his pocket and threatened my staff.

"Luckily, my staff member managed to grab the knife. But the kids escaped.

"The boys only seemed to be about 10 or 12 years old but it is terrifying to think what could have happened. Parents must be made aware that children are walking around the town carrying knives."

He said police were called but took three hours to arrive.

The incident happened at 4.45pm on Thursday, January 26 and was witnessed by a stunned shopper.

George Allan, 27, said: "I was walking past the shop when I noticed a commotion. I saw two kids who I believed were trying to rob the store. One of the boys had a knife in his hand and was holding it near the shopkeeper's face yelling 'I'll do you'.

"The shop staff remained incredibly composed and somehow got the knife off the boy. I called the police and managed to see where the boys went. They couldn't have been more than 12 to 15 years old."

He added: "I've never seen anything like it in Sittingbourne before. I came here from south London because it is quieter. Where I'm from, this type of thing happens four or five times a day."

Shop supervisor Sugash Selladurai said: "It was very scary."

The shop has shared terrifying CCTV footage of the incident with police and Kent Online.

The ordeal lasted seven minutes. The film seems to show one of the boys taking a knife from the pocket of the other boy and then wielding it in Mr Selladurai's face while yelling "Open the f***ing door now. I'll f***ing 'ave ya".

Mr Selladurai can be heard saying: "Give me the knife now or I'll call the police."

There is a skirmish in the chocolate Easter egg aisle before it appears the youngster is disarmed.

A police spokesman said: "We were called to a disturbance involving two children who had entered a shop in East Street, Sittingbourne.

"It is alleged one of the children was in possession of what was described as a small bladed article. This was taken from him by a member of staff and the children then left."

He said the mother of one of the boys had since visited a police station with both of them and added: "Inquiries into the matter are ongoing."

It is not the first time the premises have been targeted.

In February 2021, Mr Ramachandran was attacked and left unconscious by a gang of six to eight teenagers who had been stealing from his shop. A 14-year-old boy was later arrested.

Last month, two teenagers, aged 14 and 16, were arrested after a spate of knife-point robberies in the town.

Police received reports of schoolchildren being threatened by thugs in ski masks demanding mobile phones.

Sgt Ryan Chase said patrols had been increased. He said at the time: "We want to reassure the community that we are taking these matters seriously."

Pupils were warned of the attacks during an assembly at Fulston Manor Secondary School.

Mum Kirsty Pearce, 38, said her 15-year-old son and his friend had been left shaken after two people wearing ski masks threatened them with knives.

She said the boys were chased them into the high street near the NatWest Bank. She said: "It’s every parent’s worst fear. It left my son’s friend quite shaken."