An armed robber threatened a Colchester video shop worker with a gun to steal just £50.

And the ordeal left his victim "shocked and shaken".

The raider went into the Channel 5 Video shop in St Christopher Road on the St John's estate and pointed a black handgun at the woman in her 20s before demanding money and taking the cash.

Police at the scene of the robbery at Channel 5 video

The robber is thought to have fled on foot and police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

A police helicopter was used to scour the area around the shopping parade which is just yards from Friars Grove Primary School.

Speaking after the incident, which happened at about 1.45pm yesterday, Det Con Steve Gibbs said the woman who was threatened was left "understandably shocked and shaken".

Detectives are hunting a white man, aged from 25 to 30, who is about 5ft 7ins tall and was wearing a dark hat described as "like a fisherman's hat" sunglasses and a light-coloured jumper.

Any witnesses should call the CID at Colchester police on 01206 762212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Published Wednesday, March 6, 2002