Two men have appeared in court in connection with a raid on a shop in Aberdeen city centre earlier this week.
Police were called to the Premier Store on Union Street in the early hours of Wednesday morning after armed robbers, carrying a seven-inch knife, entered the property.
Shopkeeper Eric Odame was ordered to empty the till, but he refused and when a shocked woman saw the knife and screamed, they left empty-handed.
Mr Odame said they waited until the shop was quiet before striking.
The 27-year-old added: “It was a normal night, people were coming in and out, and all of a sudden these two guys came into the shop.
“There were two of them, one short, and one tall, and the short guy had a big hood over his head.
“They were around the shop very close to each other, whispering to each other.
“They were trying to kill time while they waited for other people to leave the shop, and attack when it got quiet.”
“They demanded £100 but I told them no.”
Calum MacDonald and Peter Matthews, both aged 22, were detained by the police in connection with the incident.
The pair appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday to face a charge of attempted robbery.
They were also accused of carrying out an assault on a 35-year-old man just before 2am on the same day.
It is alleged they left him with a permanent disfigurement as a result.
The pair declined to make any plea or declaration and were released on bail.
They will appear back in court at a later date.
Detective Inspector Allen Shaw, who led the inquiry, thanked people for their assistance.
He said: “Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured as a result of these incidents and I would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the public who assisted us with our inquiries.”