MASKED raiders tied up and repeatedly threatened to kill a video store owner in an armed robbery last week.

Kevan Linton, from West End Videos in West Wycombe Road, High Wycombe, was marched upstairs at gun point and bound with masking tape in the attack by three men.

A female friend was also tied up with tape as the three robbers plundered Kevan's home, which backs onto the shop, at around 9.18pm last Saturday night.

Kevan said: "It was extremely frightening.

"They kept threatening to kill me and my friend had a knife held to her throat. They were in a very excitable state. You don't mess with people like that."

The intruders made off with more than £1,000 in takings and electrical goods belonging to Kevan including two DVD players and two video cameras.

Kevan, 47, had been sitting in his front room when he heard the door open to the shop. Seconds later two men wearing balaclavas had jumped over the shop counter and stuck guns in his face.

A third man also burst into the shop carrying a big knife.

Kevan said: "They took me upstairs while my friend was downstairs in the living room. I tried to stay calm but they kept threatening me."

After the attackers had left Kevan was able to wriggle his hands free and untie himself and his friend who was downstairs in the living room.

He said: "I opened the shop as normal the next day but when it got to 9.18pm I started to panic. You can have all the security in the world but it won't stop something like this."

Kevan suffered another blow when he was told by his insurance company Norwich Union that he would not be able to claim because he had not told them access to his home was through the video store entrance.

Kevan said: "Nowhere on any insurance form does it ask you to go into that. I was not being greedy, I just wanted to be compensated for what was taken."

David Ross, from Norwich Union, said they have looked again at the case and are now going to pay up.

He said: "Policy holders have a duty to inform us of any relevant details. Failure to do so can jeopardise their chances of making a claim."

The main offender has dark black skin, is 6ft to 6ft 2ins, slim, has dark eyes and was wearing a dark balaclava.

Anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area between the times mentioned is asked to contact DC Neil Chapman at High Wycombe Police Station on 0845 8505 505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111