A shop manager was hit by a car driven by a burglar who drove at him after more than £2,000 of cigarettes and alcohol were stolen in a raid.

The manager of the Spar at Ormesby, near Great Yarmouth, who lives above the shop, was awoken after Matthew Goddard, 34, and Carl Pammen, 37, broke in.

Norwich Crown Court heard the manager, who had come to check on what was happening along with his father, was struck by the car as the raiders fled.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Goddard was in the car "revving" the engine and urging Pammen to hurry up before he drove at them.

The manager had to "push his father out of the way" before he himself was hit in the leg, suffering a small graze.

Goddard had hired the red Ford Focus and they took a large hammer before driving to the store at 3.30am on February 15 this year.

They "smashed their way" in using a slab from a nearby garden wall, and took more than £2,220 worth of cigarettes and alcohol, causing more than £1,300 worth of damage.

The manager started to film the offenders on a phone but was threatened with a hammer by Pammen who was brought to the floor by the victim's father.

After the raiders drove off it was reported to police who found the car crashed at Horsey a couple of hours later.

Goddard, of Norwich Prison, appeared for sentence on Thursday (June 23) having admitted burglary, damaging property and battery.

Pammen had pleaded guilty to burglary, damaging property and common assault.

A statement from the victim said he was fortunate not to have been more seriously injured but paranoid something like this might happen again.

Sentencing the pair each to a total of 24 months imprisonment, Recorder Guy Ayers said although Goddard had driven at the two victims at slow speed "you decided to use the vehicle as a form of weapon to help you both get away".

He added that "small shops like this are very vulnerable to attacks like this by people like yourselves".

Rob Pollington, mitigating for both defendants, said Goddard had been homeless at the time of the offence and "went to steal to try and raise funds to find some suitable accommodation".

In terms of Pammen, Mr Pollington said he was very much under the influence of alcohol and "has issues with drink".