A CROSSBOW-wielding armed robber was on the run today after targeting an Ipswich bookmakers.

Josh Warwick

A CROSSBOW-wielding armed robber was on the run today after targeting an Ipswich bookmakers.

The man entered the Ladbrokes shop in Ellenbrook Road, Chantry, shortly after 12.15pm yesterday.

He played on the fruit machines before turning on female staff with the crossbow and threatening them.

He demanded cash from the till before fleeing on foot with a large sum of money.

Detectives and forensic experts were immediately dispatched to the scene of the crime, cordoning off the shop, interviewing witnesses and scouring the area for clues.

Although nobody was hurt in the raid, Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said staff had been left extremely shaken.

He added: “An amount of money was taken from the till but not from the safe, so we're not talking about a particularly large amount.

“The staff involved were not hurt but they were shaken so all of them were immediately sent home.”

The shop is next door to McColl's newsagent, which was hit in an armed raid only eight days earlier, when a teen made off with just £30 after brandishing a handgun at the cashier.

McColl's staff today said the first they knew of the second raid was when police arrived.

One worker said: “It's a bit worrying because it's so close to home and we were only done ourselves a week ago.”

Today police officers were due to trawl through CCTV footage in an attempt to identify the robber, who was seen to run off along Radcliffe Drive, still carrying the crossbow.

He was described as young and white, about 5ft 6incs, of slim to medium build, clean shaven, wearing a white or grey woolly hat, thick belcher chain and white sports top, and carrying a red, black and grey rucksack.

- Anyone with information about the crime should call Suffolk police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.