A shop owner was injured early this morning as he battled with two young men who tried to steal money from him in Xaghra, Gozo.

The police said that the attempted hold-up took place in Victoria Square at 2.40am.

The shop owner, a 47-year-old Briton, was approached by two young men as soon as he entered his car after closing the shop.

The two men were hooded and one of them was armed with a firearm, which turned out to be fake.

The owner battled with the two men, holding one of them until the police arrived to arrest him. He is a 17-year-old. The other aggressor is being sought by the police.

The shop owner was treated for slight injuries.