A KNIFE-wielding robber bottled it – after being challenged by a 73-year-old petrol pump attendant armed with a bottle of rosé wine.

Derek Greenwood struggled with the intruder at the Texaco Garage in Dill Hall Lane, Church near Accrington.

And when the brave pensioner was confronted with a ‘large chef’s knife’, he reached for a bottle of £2.99 First Cape wine from the ‘on offer’ shelf, scaring the masked raider out of the shop.

Last night Derek insisted he was ‘no hero’ and said he made his full-bodied reaction on ‘gut instinct’.

But Derek’s colleagues are raising a glass to his bravery.

Detectives are now hunting the robber, who was dressed all in black and struck in the space of 60 seconds at around 10pm on Thursday.

He escaped with less than £100.

Derek, who has worked at the busy garage for six years, said: “I was just about to start mopping up and was in the shop talking to the girl behind the counter.

“This man rushed in and I saw his masked face. He put a blue plastic bag on the counter and shouted ‘fill it up with all the money from the till’.

“I was very close to him. I almost turned into him and we grappled and I was pushed back.

“He pulled out a damn big knife and I reached for a bottle of wine to smash him round the head.

“He grabbed a bunch of notes and ran out.

“I didn’t have much option really and these people aren’t worth anything at all.

“I suppose it could have gone one step further if I hadn’t stepped in. But I’m no hero, it was over so quickly and was just gut instinct.

“I think he was as scared as I was. I don’t think he expected me to pick up a wine bottle.”

Derek, who works evenings and is believed to be the only petrol pump attendant in Lancashire,he was back at work again last night.

He added: “Something like that won’t stop me working. I enjoy it here. I just hope I don’t see anything like that again.”

Garage boss Ian Cox, 41, from Darwen, said the 25-year-old female shop assistant who was threatened by the robber was off work having been ‘shaken’ by the incident. Derek gave her a bottle of wine on Friday to cheer her up.

Ian said: “She did everything right and hit the panic button to alert the police.

“I have read about a few of these incidents in the Accrington area recently and you just hope you are not next.

“We are always very busy with customers and this man struck in the space of a few seconds near to closing time.

“Derek is very reliable. He has been back into work and doesn’t seem fazed.

“What he has done means the robber will think long and hard about coming back here again.”

Detective Sergeant Paul Langley, of Accrington CID, urged people to be cautious in similar situations.

He said: “Mr Greenwood acted bravely to intervene and his actions are commended. But we would urge members of the public to consider their own safety first in these situations as it can be very dangerous.”

He said DS Langley said they believed the robber was on his own.

The robber was described as wearing a black hooded jacket, black baseball cap and scarf across his face, black gloves, black tracksuit pants and trainers.

Anyone with any information should contact police on 0845 1 253545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.