A disgruntled employee held up a chip shop with a tyre wrench on Saturday in front of "hysterical" teenage staff following a row about a burger.

Gareth Sean Laidlaw had only just been taken on for a trial period at the Top Chippy in Porthleven when he suddenly walked out last Tuesday.

Staff thought that was the last they would see of him, but on Saturday he reappeared shortly after opening time, at around 4.50pm, wielding an extendable tyre wrench that he smashed onto the counter with such force it left a dent.

He was given £100 from the till to get him to leave the store, but was then arrested by police shortly afterwards.

Vicky Green, who owns the shop with her husband Norman, praised the actions of her staff, with Sarah Povey ushering the two teenage girls on duty - one of whom was aged just 15 and the other 16, and left "hysterical" by the attack - to safety out the back of the shop, while their son Aaron got rid of Laidlaw.

Mrs Green said: "Luckily everyone was fine, although they were very shaken. It could have been a lot worse, the way he was carrying on."

She said Laidlaw had become disgruntled with another member of the staff in the days before he left and was being given instructions about fetching burgers when he suddenly walked out.

Mrs Green said by sheer coincidence, the police were actually on the phone to Aaron when Laidlaw walked into the shop to carry out the attack, as she had been in contact to them about text messages she had been receiving from Laidlaw all that day.

Two customers who had been in the shop at the time also called the police from outside, with officers arriving on the scene very quickly.

"Luckily we have got CCTV. That played a large part in him being charged," added Mrs Green.

The shop later apologised to customers on Facebook for having to shut early on Saturday.

Laidlaw, 32, was interviewed by police on Sunday and appeared in court before magistrates in Truro on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and using threatening words or behaviour towards Aaron Green and customers at the Top Chippy.

A further charge of stealing £100 belonging to Aaron Green at the Top Chippy was withdrawn.

Laidlaw had already been given an 18-month suspended sentence in May, for having a lock knife on him in the Beehive, in Helston, on April 19 this year and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to Matthew Buchan in Helston on the same day.

This latest offence triggered that sentence, resulting in magistrates ordering him to spend a total of 202 days in prison for all four offences.

He was also ordered to pay £80 compensation, £85 prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

In court his address was given as no fixed abode, although it is understood he had recently moved to Porthleven from Helston.