A ROBBER who threatened a cashier with a rounders bat has been branded "an idiot" for targeting a business that never has much ready cash.

The balaclava clad thug walked into a petrol station shop brandishing the bat and threatened to trash the store unless the woman cashier handed over the contents of the till.

She gave him around £100 and the attacker, who was filmed on CCTV, rushed out and jumped on a bicycle to make his getaway.

Phil Gerry, who owns the Texaco petrol station on Wellington New Road, Taunton, praised cashier Lisa Troake's actions during the incident at around 1.10pm on Saturday.

"There were customers on the forecourt when he came into the store on foot - there was a man inside and he waited for him to leave," said Mr Gerry.

"He said, 'Give me the money or I'll smash up the shop' and put the bat on the counter.

"She dealt with it extremely calmly and activated the silent alarm below the counter within seconds of the guy threatening her.

"She did everything she's supposed to do, handed over the money and didn't get involved.

"She then made sure the site was secure and tried to see which direction he'd left in.

"She was very calm throughout the incident but a bit shaken afterwards - she was just finishing her shift, but she was back to work the next day.

"She was very brave and professional all the way through."

Mr Gerry said the till automatically sends cash to a secure floor safe staff do not have access to once there is more than £100 in it.

He added: "If he's caught he could be looking at around five years in prison - for £20 a year it's just ridiculous.

"You have to be an idiot to risk five years of your life for £100."

Police arrived on the scene within two minutes of the thief escaping.

Detectives have described the man as 5ft 10in to 5ft 11in tall, skinny, and wearing a black, thin waterproof coat with the hood up, a black balaclava or snood and black baggy trousers tucked up at the bottom.

The bicycle he rode off on was a hybrid type with straight handlebars and thin wheels with a dark blue frame.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to call Taunton Police on 101 quoting crime reference number 521602829.

*The Texaco petrol station was previously hit in December 2011, when a robber got away with £180 - he was later caught and jailed for six years.