A NEWSAGENTS worker has been assaulted with a rock for the second time in less than four weeks.

Emergency services were called to an assault at General Store, on Spencer Street, Accrington today shortly before 10.30am.

One of the employees, who was manning the counter, was hit three times in the face with a rock which was thought to be the size of a fist.

The 51-year-old shopkeeper, from Accrington, was taken to Accrington Victoria Hospital after sustaining minor head injuries.

Police later arrested a 22-year-old man, also from Accrington, on suspicion of serious assault.

The attack comes just 26 days after the same store worker was assaulted with a rock by a man in his 20s.

Shop owner Limarji Akuhi, 59, who lives in Blackburn, said: "I have been running this store for 22 years and nothing like this has ever happened before. It's shocking enough to have something like this once, let alone twice in four weeks.

A police spokesman said: "We were called to reports of an assault on Spencer Street at 10.25am.

"Someone went into the shop holding a stone and assaulted the shopkeeper. The victim sustained a head injury."