A Norwich petrol station worker was left "scared" for his safety after a drunk man pulled out a knife and demanded £400, a court has heard.

Daniel Walpole, 25, went into the Jet Garage on Rose Lane, Norwich before pulling out a knife and threatening the store assistant in order to get money to buy drugs.

Norwich Crown Court heard Walpole had taken 80 Xanex tablets and had gone into the petrol station intent on stealing cash so he could get more drugs.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said Walpole went straight towards the counter and from the inside of his jacket produced a knife.

Mr Potts said he pointed the knife at the assistant resulting in the victim feeling "considerable fear" and thought "he was going to get hurt".

Walpole, who was intoxicated, said that he needed £400 from the till and repeated that several times before telling the victim he would "give it back to you on Friday".

The victim managed to lock the door to the counter and told Walpole he could not open the till unless he bought something, prompting the armed man to give the victim £2 for a can of Dr Pepper.

Two customers who came into the store left after realising something was not right and called the police from outside while keeping and eye on the situation.

Police arrived and Walpole was arrested by police who recovered the knife.

In a statement to police the victim, who has been at the garage for three years, said he was "struggling to put into words how I'm meant to feel right now" but admitted he was "scared for my safety".

Walpole, of Normandie Tower, Rouen Road, Norwich, appeared at court on Monday (November 8) having previously admitted attempting to rob and having an article with a blade or point on October 7 this year.

Jailing him for a total of two years and 10 months Judge Katharine Moore said he was armed with a "quite fearsome bladed article" in a premises which is "vulnerable to this kind of behaviour".

Judge Moore said it was an "extremely serious", "targeted" offence, but "lacked every single hallmark of sophistication".

Andrew Oliver said it was "offending borne out of desperation" by Walpole who was using Xanex tablets to get him out of his depression.

He said this offence was "wholly out of character" as Walpole had no previous convictions.