A WOMAN working alone in a betting shop was left shaken up after a man brandishing a knife burst in and demanded cash.

Police are hunting the robber, who held up the Ladbrokes shop at Station Road, West Moors, on Wednesday evening.

It is thought that the woman, who was not injured, was working alone in the bookmaker’s, which had no customers inside when the robber struck.

He escaped with cash after the knifepoint raid.

Locals reacted with shock at the drama – which involved a heavy police presence, including at least one armed officer.

Christina Barber, owner of the West Moors Launderama, came to shut the shop when the commotion happened at around 6.50pm.

“I saw the police all around. There was one armed officer.

“They asked if we saw anything and we said no, we had just arrived.

“It’s not the norm; it’s disconcerting, but it’s life and opportunists will have a go. I would have thought that in this locality the police would know the type of person.

“We have owned this shop for two years and that’s the first time I’ve known of anything like this,” she said.

One resident of a flat above the shop, who asked not to be named, added: “There were armed police and police dogs, the lot.

“I was shocked to see it all. The police did all the door-to-door but weren’t saying anything, just asking if anybody saw anything.”

Nihat Altun, who works at the Penn Court Cafe close to Ladbrokes, said: “It’s a small village and you don’t expect thing like that around here.”

No arrests have been made.

Police are appealing for witnesses who saw anything suspicious in the Station Road area to call them on 101.