A MOTHER-of-three today told how she was saved from knife wielding thugs by her 16-year-old son during a robbery at their family-run grocery store.

Zarine Fozada, from the A to Z Grocery Store, Hereford Road, Blackburn, today revealed that she thought she was going to be killed by the three men who jumped over her shop counter and stole more than £300 in notes from the till.

The 43-year-old shop owner said her terrified screams alerted her son who was doing his homework in the living accommodation attached to the shop to the attack which occurred at 8.45pm on Thursday.

She also praised her son Zubair's quick thinking after he pulled her from the knife man into their home and locked the door behind them.

Mrs Fozada's two other children, 12-year-old Azmina and 10-year-old Zakir, also witnessed the attack.

Mrs Fozada said: "I was just about to close up the shop for the evening when these three men ran in at great speed. Straight away one jumped over the counter and stood in front of me and tried to grab the till.

"I pushed him away and was screaming at him and that was when he pulled this huge kitchen knife on me and held it up to me.

"I couldn't move then as the knife was against me.

"I thought I was going to die. I was screaming that they were going to kill me.

"My son had heard me screaming and saw that they had a knife and they were holding it against his mother.

"He just grabbed me and pulled me into the house and put the chain on the door and locked us in."

The men ran off up Carluke Street and were chased by two passers-by who saw them get into a car and got down the registration number.

The men are described as three white males in their late teens to early 20's and were all around 5ft 10 inches in height.

Detective Sergeant Paul Ryan from Blackburn police said: "We wish to speak to anyone who was in the area at that time or anyone who believes they may know the identity of those involved."

lAnyone with information should call Blackburn police on 01254 51212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.