Two teenage fast-food workers have been praised for their bravery after standing up to armed robbers.
School pupils Hannah Donnelly, 17, and 16-year-old Aaron O'Hagan stood their ground when challenged by a number of men demanding money, one reportedly armed with a knife during the incident on Saturday night, May 11.
Speaking about the terrifying ordeal at El Paso Burrito Bar, Dungannon, which was captured on CCTV, Hannah explained how events unfolded.
She told Belfast Live: "They weren't ordering anything and we told them to leave but they just kept saying, 'oh I want to talk to you'.
"Then one of the fellas came walking through to the staff only area and I told him to get out and that it was all being recorded on CCTV and police would be out.
"His friend then grabbed him and took him out to the front. Then he asked to speak to the boy, that was Aaron. Then he said to me, 'Listen to me very carefully, I've a pen knife in my left pocket and if you don't open that till I'll gut you like a fish' or something along those lines.
"I turned round and said to him, 'You're hardly serious' and he was ready for taking it out so Aaron told him to calm down and he ordered him to go to the till right now."
The Eglish teenager added adrenaline just took over her and she stood firm against the gang, who left empty handed.
She said: "My adrenaline was just going 90, I was just trying to protect Aaron because in my head I thought if they were going to stab anyone it would be the boy, even if they would have hit anyone I thought it would be him so I felt I had to protect him.
"I literally had no feeling at the time but when police arrived it hit me and I was just shaking."
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The owner of the fast-food outlet has praised his teenage staff for their heroics.
He told Belfast Live: "The maturity and bravery shown in the face of adversity was a lot to admire. I literally couldn't have been any more grateful for what they did but also angry that it happened."
Following the incident police arrested two men on suspicion of attempted robbery.
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Inspector Ford said: “It was reported, just before midnight, that three men entered the property, one making demands for money and threatening the use of a knife. When demands were refused, the three men left empty-handed.
“A short time after, police arrested two men on suspicion of attempted robbery.
“One man, aged 23, has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries. The other, aged 18, has been released to be reported to the Public Prosecution Service."
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Police say their enquiries into the incident are ongoing and have appealed for anyone with information to rind the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1631 of 11/05/19.
Alternatively, information can be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
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