A GUNMAN robbed a Poole bank in broad daylight yesterday.

Armed police swooped on the Wallisdown branch of Barclays, in Bryant Road off Wallisdown Road, after the attack at 1.20pm.

Nobody was injured and police have yet to confirm what was taken.

Multiple police cars attended and the police helicopter was in the sky as the area was searched.

Marian Morris, 71, who was in the bank at the time, said the male robber had a scarf covering his face and that another person who was in the bank told her that he had a gun.

She said he left with cash in a clear bag and she saw him run off down an alleyway.

Emma Patmore, who works in Chop barbers next to the bank, said: “We just saw the cars turn up. We didn’t see anyone come out or go in.

“It’s a worry that things like that happen during the day, especially at this time of year when it gets dark at 4.30pm.

“We were robbed a couple of years ago during the day.

“Five o’clock comes and we lock the door here because if people are desperate enough during the day they’re definitely desperate enough later in the day.

“Everything is open later here and it’s busy.

“We do one day at work here on our own and it scares us.”

Another witness added: “I saw them rushing along the road at about 1.30pm.

“I was driving at the time and I had to go up on the kerb to let them past.”

The bank remained closed for the afternoon while forensics experts examined the scene for clues.

Police stood guard outside while forensics officers in white suits got to work.

John Graham, who lives in Wallisdown Road, said: “There was a lot of police there. I’m not surprised that place has been robbed.

“When I got off the bus there was about eight police officers here, lots of them milling around.”

Sharon Green, co-owner of Green’s textile shop nearby, added: “It’s scary when it can happen in broad daylight.

“They’re a bit off the beaten track there, off the main road, and people like that do their homework.”

Serdal Yildirim, whose family runs Wallisdown News, said: “We saw all the police cars and the police helicopter was up.

“It often happens as you get closer to Christmas as people get a bit more desperate.

“I think everyone up here is a bit worried, especially at this time of year.”

A Barclays spokesman said: “All staff and customers are safe and we’re working closely with the local police.”

Police are appealing for witnesses. Call 101 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.

I was queuing right in front of gunman

MARIAN Morris, 71, right, was in Barclays when the robbery took place. She said: “The bloke that did the robbery was behind me in the queue at the bank.

“He started to talk to the cashier and it struck me as odd by the way he was speaking. It just didn’t sound right and I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“Then he said: ‘And the rest,’ which again seemed odd but I thought maybe that is what he normally said.

“When he passed me, he had a clear supermarket shopping bag, and he was holding it in front of his chest, which contained what looked like money.

“I don’t know how much was there. Then I followed him out, as he walked away and then he picked up speed, before running into the alley in Alder Road.

“One man went after him and I heard two ladies say: ‘Stop it. Don’t chase him.’

“I went back into the bank and asked if there was a bank robbery and two ladies said: ‘Yes’.

“A lady said he had a gun and she believed he said something like: ‘Give me the money or I will shoot you and everyone else in here.’

“There were probably five people in the bank at the time. Nobody did anything.

“They just stayed where they were. He was wearing a grey or white scarf which covered his face and then a light fawn colour Mac-type coat. He was a white man and possibly in his 40s.

“The cashier that he spoke to stayed very calm. She just gave the money to him and then when he walked away, she walked behind a screen that was behind her.

“He never spoke to anyone except the cashier.”

THE robbery is the latest in a series committed across Dorset this year. Two security guards were threatened with a hammer and a metal bar in a cash-in-transit robbery in Christchurch town centre on January 19.

And post office staff were left in shock when a raider, armed with a handgun, targeted Hengistbury Head post office in The Broadway in June.

In October two robberies were reported in Southbourne in the space of a week.

A lone robber threatened staff in NatWest in Southbourne Grove and a man wearing a hooded jacket threatened staff and stole money from one Stop in Seabourne Road.

A would-be robber at a Poole convenience store was thwarted by a brave shop worker who fought him off with a bottle of Toilet Duck at the end of October. And September saw a terrifying armed robbery at Forum Jewellers on The Broadway in Broadstone.

Staff were terrorised by a gang who smashed display cabinets with sledgehammers and pointed a handgun at a female shop worker.

And a security guard was forced to the ground and robbed in March as he attempted to deliver cash to Tuckton post office.