A masked teenager carried out a senseless attack on a village corner shop - screaming and smashing jars while his friend filmed the carnage.

Herts Advertiser: CCTV from the ransacking of Weyman's Nisa Local in RedbournCCTV from the ransacking of Weyman's Nisa Local in Redbourn (Image: Archant)

The vandalism occurred at about 1.30pm on September 27, when two boys aged about 17 ran into Weyman’s Nisa Local on Redbourn High Street - one wearing a balaclava and shrieking then pushed all the food from an entire aisle onto the floor.

About £60 worth of sauces and condiments from the jar shelf smashed, creating a mess which took hours to clean.

The other youngster was videoing the entire incident, before both ran off down Waterend Lane.

Postmaster Neil Weyman said: “It was a prank, I think. One of them, the main culprit who was wearing a balaclava, he burst though the doors with his left arm raised and decided he wanted to clear the shelves.

“The other guy was filming it for YouTube or something.”

When Neil initially heard the commotion from the back of the shop, he thought someone was smashing through the shop doors - and described the incident as “shocking”.

He added: “When you are faced with that situation you think the worst.

“I am genuinely pleased there were no elderly people in the shop at the time, because it would have been quite frightening for them.”

He said it was a godsend the attackers did not target the alcohol aisle, as the damages would have been much more costly.

“The inconvenience and mess it caused - I have been in retail for 20 years and I have never seen anything like that.

“For the customers it was very shocking.”

The shop did not shut after the incident as Neil simply closed the aisle and carried on business: “We just got on with it, cleaned it up and did the best we could.”

He has passed CCTV footage of the two thugs onto Herts police.

They said the offenders “smashed jars of honey and mayonnaise on the floor”.

A spokesperson said: “Police enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Hertfordshire Constabulary via the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference F2/17/1830.”

People can also report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.