Staff at a village shop near Farnham were assaulted during a confrontation with two men that allegedly began over a can of Red Bull.

One man suffered a head injury and attended hospital following the incident at Bentley Village Stores on London Road between 1.50pm and 2pm on Thursday, October 22.

Store owner Gowsi Nathan said the trouble began when two men allegedly attempted to steal a can of Red Bull.

He said: “Two people came into the store, and they tried to steal a Red Bull. We then confronted them and ordered them to pay.

“One of them put the Red Bull back and they proceeded to the café and ordered stuff. They cancelled the order and we offered them a refund, but they then got aggressive as the money didn’t appear in their bank account instantly.

“We explained we could not do that, and they started swearing and physically assaulted staff.”

Following the incident, Bentley Village Stores issued a public appeal for information, urging anyone who witnessed the confrontation to contact police.

In a statement, the business said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable. Our staff work hard to serve the local community and deserve to feel safe at work.”

The store thanked residents for their support and urged members of the public not to approach or confront anyone they believed might be involved.

Hampshire Police confirmed an investigation had been launched.

A spokesperson said: “We received a report that between 1.50pm and 2pm on Thursday, October 22, two men had entered Bentley Village Stores on London Road in Bentley and had attempted to leave without paying for items.

“Staff reported that they had attempted to stop the men from leaving the store and had been assaulted in the process.

“One man reported suffering a head injury during the incident and attended hospital for treatment.

“An investigation has been launched, and enquiries are underway to establish the full circumstances.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could assist police is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 44260519146.