JEWELLER Joseph Welch has recounted how he used a stick to fight off efforts to steal Rolex watches from his store.

Mr Welch was serving a customer at the Wellington store when another member of staff raised the alarm after hearing a thudding noise on the window in the display room.

The workers pressed the panic buttons to raise the alarm and proceeded to secure the shop, with staff taking the customer into the office.

By this time, the raiders had smashed a three-inch hole in the window and Mr Welch rushed towards them on the other side of the glass.

He said: “I used a stick in an attempt to remove the stock from their reach and fight them off from inside the hole.

“I whacked him on the chest and they then left.

“They got some things, but some things were recovered from the scene.”

Mr Welch added: “We were all pretty shaken. It wasn’t a nice ordeal. I just reacted to the situation.

“It’s a situation that’s always a possibility, but it’s something we try and mentally prepare for.

“You think in the event of this scenario, this is what would happen. We talk through things we would do.

“I’m proud of my staff and we looked after our customer the best we could.

“They (the raiders) didn’t come in. It could have been a lot worse.”

The shop remained closed after the attack at around 3.30pm on Saturday but has been open for business as normal this week.

Mr Welch said: “We’ve had a lot of support and kind words from our customers, which we’re extremely grateful for. We’d like to thank them.”

*A MAN has appeared in court accused of stealing Rolex watches during a raid on a Wellington jewellers.

Joseph Hale, 22, of Rappart Road, Wallasey, Wirral, denied a charge of burglary when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

He was remanded on conditional bail after pleading not guilty to the theft of Rolex watches worth a total of £11,230 from Joseph Welch Jewellers, in South Street, on Saturday.

The watches were snatched after raiders smashed a hole in a display window.

The shop owner, who locked himself inside with staff and a customer after hearing the window being broken, brushed other items out of the way of the thieves.

Hale was arrested when police stopped the Mercedes he was driving in Bishops Lydeard shortly afterwards.

Chairman of the bench, Dr Anne Slater, remanded Hale on bail with the condition he resides at his mother’s home in Wallasey, remains under a 7pm to 7am curfew and stays out of Somerset except for court appearances or pre-arranged meetings with his legal representatives.

He was ordered to appear at Taunton Crown Court on Friday, September 14.