COURAGEOUS shop staff who helped police apprehend a teenager who ran into an off-licence holding a kitchen knife have been praised.

Dane Armstrong was hauled before magistrates after he committed the offence at a branch of Bargain Booze in Barrow.

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing of knife in a public place.

Staff at the off-licence acted quickly to allow Armstrong to be arrested by police.

And they have been praised for their ‘quick thinking’ during the incident.

Peter McCall, the county’s police and crime commissioner, said: “I will praise the quick actions of the staff in the store who did exactly the right thing by not confronting this character.

“No doubt about it their quick thinking helped police contain this person.”

South Cumbria Magistrates’ Cumbria Magistrates’ Court heard it happened on September 8 last year.

Magistrates were told Armstrong, of Kent Street in Barrow, had run into the store, in Risedale Road, carrying the knife.

The court heard the kitchen knife had a black handled and an eight-inch long blade.

Armstrong was holding it in his left hand as he entered the store, prosecutors said.

Magistrates were told Armstrong had entered the store at around 8.30pm on the night and was seen by staff with the blade.

Two members of staff at the shop left the store and phoned the police.

They locked the defendant in the shop to allow him to be apprehended by officers.

The bench of magistrates, led by chairman Sharron Gillam, were at court to preside over the case.

They sent Armstrong’s case to a crown court, where sentencing powers could mean the defendant could be jailed for longer than the six month limit of a magistrates court.

Armstrong will be on unconditional bail until the next hearing.

That will take place at Preston Crown Court on May 10.

Sending a message to those who carry blades, Mr McCall said: “The message is do not carry knives and if you do police will respond very quickly and you will be pursued to the court.

“Any knife is not going to be tolerated.

“People who do carry knives endanger people around them and themselves.

“Police will respond very forcefully to anyone who carries a knife or a weapon of any kind.

“Don’t carry knives on the streets of Barrow or anywhere else.”