Brave shopkeeper uses vodka bottle to fight off knife-wielding raider in Liverpool Attacker walked up to counter and pulled out large kitchen knife Confronted shopkeeper and father of two in Old Swan, Liverpool Suranga Sooriyabandara knocked weapon out of attacker's hand These dramatic images show how a shopkeeper fought off a knife-wielding man with a vodka bottle. The attacker, wearing a red cloth mask pulled down across his face, walked up to the counter and pulled out a large kitchen knife in the Old Swan area of Liverpool, Merseyside. CCTV footage shows the robber confronting shopkeeper and father-of-two Suranga Sooriyabandara at SBM Food and Wine with the 12in blade, which he held like a sword. Caught on camera: The robber confronted shopkeeper and father-of-two Suranga Sooriyabandara with a large kitchen knife in the Old Swan area of Liverpool, Merseyside Scary moment: The attacker, wearing a red cloth mask pulled down across his face, walked up to the counter and pulled out a large kitchen knife Mr Sooriyabandara eventually managed to knock the weapon out of the man's hand with the bottle of Chekov vodka, before the attacker fled empty-handed down the street. The shopkeeper said: "The knife was over a foot long, and he said he had a gun, so I was worried. I grabbed the bottle of vodka when he said he was going to shoot me. I managed to knock the weapon from his hand and it has now been handed in to the police. The attempted robbery brought back painful memories for Mr Sooriyabandara of the day his friend, Mahesh Wickramasingha, was killed while working in a shop in the Huyton area of Liverpool. Re-enactment: Suranga Sooriyabandara eventually managed to knock the weapon out of the man's hand with the bottle of Chekov vodka, before the attacker fled empty-handed down the street Protecting his shop: The attempted robbery brought back painful memories for Mr Sooriyabandara of the day his friend was killed while working in a shop in the Huyton area of Liverpool The attack, in June 2011, caused horror among the local Sri Lankan community. Mr Sooriyabandara and his brother Saman both contributed to a fund to help Mr Wickramasingha's family in Sri Lanka. I live above this shop with my wife and two young children, and I am now worried about our safety Suranga Sooriyabandara Gambling addict Sam Harrison, 19, admitted manslaughter after his knife plunged into the neck of 30-year-old Mahesh Wickramasingha. After a Liverpool Crown Court trial, he was cleared of murder. Mr Sooriyabandara said: "I knew Mahesh and was shocked by his death. I live above this shop with my wife and two young children, and I am now worried about our safety. A 37-year-old man from Liverpool has been charged with attempted robbery and is set to appear before Liverpool Magistrates" Court.