Knifeman chased down Drayton Park by 73-year-old Park Cafe owner with rolling pin

The Park Cafe in Aubert Park. Picture: Lucas Cumiskey (Image: Archant)

Phivos Alexandrou, known as Alex, was prepping the Park Cafe’s kitchen area when he heard screaming at about 6.30am.

His tenant, Emma, who lives at a neighbouring flat, in Drayton Park, burst into the shop and said a man was threatening her with an eight inch kitchen knife.

“My tenant came in crying,” said Alex. “She told me a guy with a knife was threatening to kill her because she put her rubbish bags on the pavement. He was shouting, swearing and calling her names.

“I picked up a rolling pin because I couldn’t go outside to a guy with a knife empty handed.

Alex the Park Cafe boss saved his neoghbour from a knife-man. Picture: Lucas Cumiskey (Image: Archant)

“He stopped for a minute and drew his thumb across his neck, motioning like he wanted to cut my throat.”

But the cafe boss didn’t back down. He raised his rolling pin and charged forwards. The man with the knife fled.

A witness told the Gazette: “I saw Alex running after this guy with a pole like a mop handle – he chased him down Drayton Park.”

Both Alex and the witness said cops were on the scene soon after. The Met has been approached for comment.

Asked if he was afraid, Alex said: “If I was outside with bare hands it would have been scary but because I had the rolling pin I knew we both had a 50 per cent chance.”

Alex has been running the shop, in Aubert Park, for the past 45 years.

“I know everybody in the area,” he said. “Everybody knows me and all the neighbours would tell you I’m not a violent person.

“I’ve never had any problems here before.

“It was just madness, a woman coming out of a house shouldn’t be at knife-point. He could have killed her.

“If he had raised his blade at me I would have knocked him on the head.

“Police said I put myself in danger and I shouldn’t have gone against the law. But I said, I respect the law but I also have my own law: self-defence.”