A SHOPKEEPER hid two women in his newsagents after they were chased through a street by a man allegedly wielding meat cleavers.

Bilal Yousaf was in his newsagents in Garnethill, Glasgow, when the women burst through the door screaming “please help us”.

He told them to hide in the back, locked the doors and made sure he had glass bottles to hand to defend them if the knifeman tried to enter the shop.
Police attended the area at 8.30am yesterday after frantic calls from members of the public who said there was a masked manbrandishing weapons near to St Aloysius School.

A Glasgow School of Art staff member was reported to have been left “shaken” after encountering the man on his way to work.

Mr Yousaf, 35, who owns Billy’s Mini Market, said the frantic women told him the armed man was chasing another man in a suit before he turned on them as they walked near St Aloysius Church.

Police say a 27-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an alleged breach of the peace and allegedly being in possession of offensive weapons.While he was being detained an officer suffered a minor injury.

The man is due to appear before Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday.

Mr Yousaf said: “I was just sitting looking on my phone when two women burst in screaming ‘please help us’. They said a man wearing a mask was chasing them with meat cleavers.

“The women ran to the back of the shop and hid behind a cash machine. I locked the door and told them they were safe, but they were still crying and shaking.

“I have never seen anyone so frightened.”

“I made sure I had some glass bottles beside me in case he came to the door. I told the ladies ‘he’ll have to get through me first before he gets to you’.”

Mr Yousaf said: “The ladies said the man was wearing a mask. They said he was chasing a man in a suit, who was carrying a briefcase, but when he ran away the man turned and chased them.”

The shopkeeper said he wanted to open the door and get other people in off the street for safety but the terrified women screamed at him to keep it shut.

He said he recognised the two women as local residents. One is said to be in her 40s and another in her 30s. Mr Yousaf stayed with the women with the door locked until police officers arrived.

They took a statement from him and took the women away as he said they were “still very shaky”.

Chief Inspector Mark Sutherland, area commander for Glasgow City Centre thanked local people who “acted quickly to ensure the safety of others”.

He said: “I would like to thank the many members of the public who acted quickly to ensure the safety of others. Through their quick and decisive action my officers were on scene within minutes and acted immediately to ensure this incident was brought to a swift conclusion.

“From our investigations so far we do not believe that the 27-year-old man’s actions were targeting any particular individual or premises in the area and a full investigation is currently ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
St Aloysius’ College said all of its pupils and staff were safe.