This is the astonishing moment an armed robber panicked halfway through an attempted raid, took off his disguise and claimed it was a prank he was filming for YouTube before fleeing the scene.

Preston Crown Court heard Carl Tanner, 23, lay in wait outside the Atlantic Store in Blackburn, Lancashire, until he thought shop assistant Elisa Hughes was alone in the store.

But when he was surprised by a second member of staff he ripped off his disguise, held his hands up in surrender, claiming the incident was being filmed and blurted out his name before running out of the shop.

Preston Crown Court heard Carl Tanner, 23, (pictured with the plastic knife) lay in wait outside the Atlantic Store in Blackburn, Lancashire, until he thought shop assistant Elisa Hughes was alone in the store

He has now been jailed for 20 months after spectacularly unmasking himself and giving his name to the terrified shop assistants he tried to rob before running away.

The court heard on February 9 this year, as Miss Hughes mopped the floor, Tanner walked into the shop with his hood up and a scarf covering his face, and pointed a large kitchen knife at he, telling her: 'Give me the f****** money.'

As Miss Tanner froze in terror her co-worker Yasmin Fawcer emerged from a stock room and went to press the panic button behind the counter.

But on seeing the second shop assistant, Tanner said: 'Oh s***!' and pulled off his disguise and held his hands up in surrender.

The court heard as Miss Hughes mopped the floor, Tanner walked into the shop with his hood up and a scarf covering his face, and pointed a large kitchen knife at he, telling her: 'Give me the f****** money'

Miss Fawcer asked him: 'Are you joking?'

Tanner then claimed he was filming the raid to post on YouTube.

The court heard he flicked the blade of the knife to show it was plastic and gave his name to the women before fleeing the store empty handed.

Preston Crown Court heard Tanner, of no fixed address, was at 'a low ebb' at the time of the attempted robbery.

He claimed to have a camera in his lapel and when he was arrested, told officers: 'It was just a joke, like what you see on YouTube. As soon as I did it I gave the my name.'

But when he was surprised by a member of staff he ripped off his disguise and held his hands up in surrender

Tanner then ripped off his disguise, held his hands up in surrender, claiming the incident was being filmed and blurted out his name before running out of the shop (pictured)

He said he had a friend filming from across the road but when it was pointed out that their view would be obscured by the shop door and they would not capture the staff's reaction, Tanner admitted he had been trying to rob the store.

He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and said he 'feels bad' and 'should not have done it'.

Judge Andrew Woolman, sentencing, told Tanner: 'You were sitting outside this shop, keeping an eye on things. You went into the shop intending to get money from the shopkeeper and brought with you a plastic knife.

'You swung it at both women and asked them for the money repeatedly. You hadn't thought it through carefully and you soon gave up.

'When you gave up, you gave up spectacularly, giving your name and telling them it was all a joke.'