A great-grandmother fought off a raider with a metal pole as he tried to rob the betting shop where she works.

Mary Buchan, 66, stood up to 6ft Michael McLean, who raided two bookies in the space of two hours, when he confronted her with a plant of wood.

He was jailed for five years at the High Court of Glasgow on Tuesday and she has now spoken out about her experience on the day of the attempted robbery.

The actions of Mrs Buchan prevented McLean from taking anything from the William King and Sons bookmakers in the Battlefield, Glasgow.

The 5ft pensioner, who has two great-grandchildren and six grandchildren, said: "I was in the shop myself, it was night-time and I had my back to the counter.

"I turned round, he was in front of me and he had a big wooden stick in his hand. He said 'I am in here to get your money' so I never answered him.

"He said I am not joking I am going f*****g rob you. My reaction was 'p**s off because I am not giving you anything'."

McLean, from Toryglen, Glasgow, also admitted robbing a branch of Ladbrokes in the city's Saltmarket by brandishing a shovel at an employee and taking £405.

He did not, however, bargain on coming face-to-face with Mrs Buchan, who added: "He threatened me with the stick and I had the iron bar at my feet, and I lifted it and I said 'try it'.

"He tried to get his hands into the till and at that point I phoned the police. They were that quick and they got him about five shops along.

"I think it is all my years of experience in betting shops. I have been in betting shops since 1968."

The courageous great-grandmother said she was not scared until after it was all over.

She said: "I wasn't scared at the time, it was after when I thought about it. The sentence will keep him off the streets for a few years, won't it?"

Mrs Buchan added: "My family think it is hysterical because they know me so well. They said who in their right mind would try to get money off you?"

The court heard before the first robbery McLean had placed 30 to 40 bets on horse and dog races.