A petrol station worker attacked by masked robbers who stole £10,000 has spoken of his ordeal.

Johnson Omobude, 43, was left semi-conscious by two men who tried to throttle him, knocked him to the ground and battered him about the head.

The garage manager today offered a £1,000 reward to anyone who helps catch the men.

Mr Omobude was putting out rubbish at the side of the Esso petrol station in Littlehampton Road, Worthing He suffered bruises to his head and hands in the attack 11 days ago and said today: "My wounds are just starting to heal but I am still in a state of shock.

"It was frightening. I have never experienced anything like that before.

"I thought they were going to pull a gun on me. I did not want to go back to work but I cannot just sit at home all day doing nothing.

"I just hope the police catch these people."

The robbers took the money from a storage room where manager Kemi Roberts had left it for security guards to collect.

After they fled, Mr Omobude crawled back inside to set off the panic alarm and call police. He was taken to Worthing Hospital and was off work for four days before colleagues persuaded him it was safe to return.

Mrs Roberts said: "He has been very shaken up - all the staff have been devastated.

"Nothing like this has happened here before. We should not have to feel as nervous as we do now."

She decided to offer a tenth of the cash taken as a reward for information leading to the conviction of the men responsible.

Mrs Roberts said: "It just does not seem right that someone feels they can just walk in here and take that much money.

"We work hard to earn a living.

"I run this petrol station on a franchise and that is £10,000 I will probably never see again."

The petrol station has CCTV cameras inside the shop but the attack happened in a side area of the filling station not covered by the cameras.

The robbery happened at 2am on Monday, January 20.

Mr Omobude told police although he was attacked by two men, he believes a third may have been involved in the crime.

Anyone with information should contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070999, quoting crime reference number W3/510/03.