A masked robber was beaten to the ground by brave petrol station staff after threatening them with a fake gun.

The drama unfolded in the town of Aguilas, in the province of Murcia, in south-eastern Spain, on 28th May.

Shocking CCTV footage shows a male employee grappling with the gunman before a female colleague races in and rains blows down on the suspect’s head.

The attacker had stormed into the Repsol service station at around 3:28 PM local time, waving what looked like a real handgun and demanding cash.

But instead of handing over money, the quick-thinking staff fought back.

One worker used a heavy spanner-like tool, typically used to open gas valves, to pin down the suspect’s legs while another grabbed a can of pepper spray kept behind the counter.

The footage shows the man being wrestled to the floor as the weapon is kicked away for safety.

Local mayor Jesus Navarro praised the workers who overpowered the suspect and shared the clip online.

Navarro said: "A big round of applause for the bravery of the workers at the Águilas gas station. Their intervention made it possible to arrest the criminal."

He added: "They didn't hesitate for a second. Thanks to them, we prevented what could have been a serious incident."

The suspect, said to be a local Spanish man in his 30s, was detained by police who arrived shortly after.

The gun turned out to be a replica, but police confirmed it was realistic enough to terrify staff.

The man is now facing charges of attempted robbery and making threats.

He is also reported to have a criminal record and was already known to local authorities.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)