By Annie DavidsonA BETTING shop worker had a knife held to his throat by a robber who then escaped with £300.The 21-year-old worker was locking up at Done Bookmakers in Forest Drive, Chelmsford, when he was confronted by a knife-wielding man.

By Annie Davidson

A BETTING shop worker had a knife held to his throat by a robber who then escaped with £300.

The 21-year-old worker was locking up at Done Bookmakers in Forest Drive, Chelmsford, when he was confronted by a knife-wielding man.

The robber held the large black-handled knife to the victim's throat and forced him to hand over £300 before fleeing.

Police were called and dog units were deployed to search the area, but the robber was not found.

The victim, who was not injured, was alone in the shop at the time of the robbery, which happened at 5pm on Sunday.

Detective Constable Gary Robinson, of Chelmsford police, said the shop worker had been shaken up by the robbery.

He added detectives were keen to hear from members of the public who were in the Forest Drive area at the time of the robbery.

The robber was described as white, aged between 35 and 45, with a shaven head, distinctive bushy eyebrows, 6ft tall and smartly dressed in brown chino trousers and a dark-blue long-sleeved tee-shirt.

The shop was open for business yesterday and Paul Quigley, press officer for Betfred, which is due to be the new name for Done Bookmakers shops, said: “They staff are okay, they are a bit shaken.

“I think it is important to stress that betting shops don't carry a lot of cash. Even when they are busy it is the same money going back and forth across the counter as that is the nature of betting.

“They are not like a shop when all the takings are there and we have strict security procedures. These people obviously think there is thousands of pounds there and it is worth risking a long imprisonment for.”

Anyone with information should contact Chelmsford police on 01245 491212.

annie.davidson@eadt.co.uk