A SUPERMARKET worker was forced at gunpoint to empty a safe and tills in an armed robbery on a village store.The man was opening the Fiveways Co-op store in Tiptree, at about 7am yesterday when he was confronted by a masked man with a handgun.

By Juliette Maxam

A SUPERMARKET worker was forced at gunpoint to empty a safe and tills in an armed robbery on a village store.

The man was opening the Fiveways Co-op store in Tiptree, at about 7am yesterday when he was confronted by a masked man with a handgun.

The worker, a man in his 40s from the Colchester area, was threatened with the gun and forced to hand over all the cash from the store's safe and tills.

He was then “restrained” inside the store while the robber made his escape. He managed to free himself and dialled 999 for the police.

The robber got away with a “large sum” of cash. It is not known how he made his escape.

The store was closed until mid-morning while scenes of crime officers carried out a detailed investigation of the shop.

Detectives interviewed the shop worker, who was alone in the shop at the time of the robbery. He was said to be “shaken but unhurt”.

The robber is described as probably white, about six foot tall, heavily built but not fat. He had a deep-toned voice and spoke with a south Essex accent.

He wore a navy blue pull-over-the-head waist-length jacket which had a hood. The hood drawstring was pulled tight around his face and underneath a scarf was pulled over his face leaving only his eyes uncovered. He had dark blue or black jogging bottoms and chunky blue gloves which looked like they were handwoven.

Colchester and East Essex Co-operative Society, which owns the store, was unable to make a statement last night.

Anyone who recognises the description of the robber or has any information about the crime is asked to contact Colchester police on 01206 762212.