A brave woman told today how she sheltered her two-year-old grandson from gun-wielding robbers during a dramatic raid on her village newsagent's.

Brenda Whiteley, 54, shielded little Joshua Smith, both pictured, from the masked men after they burst into the shop and stripped the shelves and till. And today she told how she pleaded with the raiders not to harm the two-year-old who had been in the shop with his grandma at the time of the attack.

"I didn't care about myself, my only worry was that they didn't hurt Josh," Mrs Whiteley said. "I keep thinking about what could have happened and I feel sick inside. It is the kind of thing you hear about happening to other people, but you never dream it might happen to you. It was like something off the television. I don't know when I will get over it or how it might affect Josh. We're worried he might have nightmares."

The drama began at around 8.20am yesterday at the shop in Huddersfield Road, Wyke, when Josh was playing with his toys behind the counter of the village store. "These two men came in with balaclavas and one of them had a gun in his hand," Mrs Whiteley said.

"They pointed the gun at me and told me to get on the floor. I wasn't going to do that and leave Josh. I told them not to be silly.

Mrs Whiteley took Josh into the corner of the room and turned her back on the robbers as they continued their raid.

The men escaped with a substantial amount of cash and a stash of cigarettes.

Police confirmed that the burned-out remains of the car were later recovered less than two miles away in Station Road, Norwood Green.

Today Mrs Whiteley's husband Keith, 55, said the couple would continue to run the newsagent's but admitted he had concerns about leaving his wife alone in the shop.

"We have got to stay on here, it's our livelihood and we can't just give it up," he said.

Bradford South CID are appealing for witnesses or anyone who may have spotted the car, which may have been driven by a third man, before it was dumped in Station Road.

Both robbers were wearing balaclavas, about 5ft 6ins tall and spoke with local accents. Anyone with information should telephone (01274) 376459 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 in confidence.