A MAN and a boy have been quizzed by police about an armed raid at a travel agents in which a shot was fired.

The pair, aged 26 and 16, were arrested on suspicion of robbing Bhatti Travel in Legrams Lane, Bradford, which was held-up by a three-strong gang, at about 6pm last Friday.

Aqis Bhatti, whose family has run the business for 25 years, told the Telegraph & Argus that he was chased from his business by a gun-wielding raider before a weapon was discharged inside.

The shot, from what is thought to have been a pump-action shotgun, left a hole in the office ceiling and his 45-year-old uncle’s ears pounding from the deafening sound it made.

The gang escaped with about £1,000 of takings but the outcome could have been far worse, said Mr Bhatti, who re-opened the travel and money transfer and exchange business today after shutting over the weekend to recover from the ordeal.

He is offering a reward of an undisclosed sum to anyone who helps secure a successful conviction of those involved.

Describing how the raid unfolded, Mr Bhatti said: “I’d left my uncle and a customer chatting in the back office while I went out to the shop practically next door.

“It had been a nice and easy day up until that point.

“On my way back I saw some figures inside.

“I was about to go in the doorway when I saw a man pointing a gun at me.

“He chased me outside and I ran, shouting for help.

“That was when I heard a loud bang, I thought they’d got my uncle or the customer. I felt sick.

“I ran back to see the office full of smoke.

“My uncle said the gun was fired and he’d had to bob down. It had hit the ceiling.

“He thought it was a pump-action shotgun and the guy didn’t know how to control it. His ears are still pounding, I think he’s lucky to be alive.”

Mr Bhatti said the ordeal had shaken his uncle Iftikhar Ahmed, who has two grown-up children, but the incident would not scare them off continuing to operate their business.

“Nothing like that has ever, ever happened to us,” he said.

“It’s more like a day centre here than an office, people come and sit and chat. People will know who these three are, they were all Asian. The CCTV is all over social media.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the raiders fled the scene on foot and it was believed they could have left a getaway vehicle nearby.

“Police can confirm that a firearm was discharged in this incident and an armed response was deployed,” said the spokesman.

“Two males aged 16 and 26 have been arrested on suspicion of robbery and have been released on bail while inquiries continue.”

Witnesses or anyone with information about the robbery should contact Bradford District CID on 101, quoting crime reference 13160717463, or they can do so anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.