A SHOPKEEPER took a pair of masked armed robbers to the cleaners -- foiling their raid by squirting washing-up liquid at them.

Julie Walsh, of the Village Store, Holcombe Road, Helmshore, today spoke of her surprise at her defiance but said she was 'stupid' for tackling the three men -- two of whom were armed with guns.

By squirting the liquid, Julie gave herself enough time to activate the store's alarm, which made the robbers flee without stealing anything.

The attempted raid happened at around 6.30pm on Wednesday, and followed a robbery at the store four weeks ago. Police are linking the two incidents.

Julie was out of the store during the September 13 robbery, so this was the first time she had been confronted by such a situation.

She assumed she would always give robbers whatever they wanted, but said something just snapped inside her.

"The more I think about it I think I was stupid," she said. "I never believed people who said you go on adrenalin in situations like that, but I do now.

"You look back and don't think it was you.

"I am surprised I was defiant because I always said I would give a robber just what he wanted.

"I think the previous burglary may have been on my mind. It happened so quickly -- from start to finish it was about one minute.

"The chime on the door went, but I didn't go out from the kitchen straightaway, because everybody knows everybody around here.

"Then I turned around and there was a man wearing a balaclava. I looked up and he had a gun.

"I told him to get out and he shouted something at me.

"I was squirting washing-up liquid at his chest because I couldn't reach his face as he was taller than me.

"This gave me the chance to hit our alarm system, and they ran off."

Her husband Jim, who had been watching TV in another area of the house, chased the men out as the alarm was going.

DS Stuart Barlow of Rossendale CID said: "They are working in a village with a close-knit community and Mary has made her own assumptions that there would be no harm done to her. Nobody was hurt and nothing was stolen. She attacked them with a bottle of washing-up liquid which resulted in the three offenders being chased out of the shop. When outside the men got into what was described as a black four-door Rover. They aren't certain of the model but said it was 'big'.

"The car's rear window was broken and it sped off towards the Grane Road."

DS Barlow added that the registration maybe J21 MFE. The men were described as being around 5ft 9in." Call Rossendale CID with any information, 01706 237442.