An injured shop worker made a defiant gesture to three masked men after foiling an evening robbery at a phone shop in Farnham.

Robbie Tabner-Barclay was punched and fell through a door during the terrifying raid on the EE shop on The Borough around 5.20pm on Thursday (March 13).

The assistant manager also kept a customer safe and managed to press a panic button before the trio could get their hands on any stock.

Mr Tabner-Barclay spoke to the Herald about the ordeal shortly after being checked over at Haslemere Minor Injuries unit on Friday afternoon.

“I knew the moment they stepped in we were getting robbed,” said the worker, who claimed the trio spoke in London accents.

“They said ‘everyone in the back or you’re going to get stabbed’ but I thought if they really had a knife, they would have pulled it out already.

Attempted Robbery EE Farnham Surrey Police
A still from the store's CCTV camera. The masked trio left empty-handed after the assistant manager pressed the panic button. (Surrey Police)

“I tried to go for the panic button but one of the robbers saw and punched me and I went through the door. I tried holding back the door so they couldn’t get to the stock.

“Another one shoved me in the face. He had this bag and said ‘give me all the phones’ but I told him we didn’t have any and told him to look at the stock.

“When he did I pressed the panic button and he alerted his guys. The customer in the shop came out and we pulled the shutters down to calm things down.”

While guidance is usually not to confront would-be robbers, Mr Tabner-Barclay said he was “thinking clearly” at the time and even gave the trio a “very British’ wave goodbye after they left empty handed.

He said: “I’ll admit it was a bit scary, but I was more angry because it happened at the end of the day and I was looking forward to going bowling with my missus.

“No-one was hurt, but I think I would have had second thoughts if they did produce a knife. I would have said ‘ok’, I’m not going to stop you, but I was certain they didn’t have one.”

Police have circulated CCTV footage from the store online as part of their appeal for witnesses and information.

The suspects are described as three black men in their late teens, and were all wearing black, face coverings and carrying backpacks. It is suspected the trio may have parked in Central Car Park.

Witnesses or anyone with information should DM Surrey Police or call 101 quoting PR/45250030063.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.