DETECTIVES are hunting a bank robber who made off with cash after sliding a napkin over the till demanding staff hand over money.Described as a white man in his early 30s, the robber struck at Abbey in High Street, Newmarket, on Saturday morning.

DETECTIVES are hunting a bank robber who made off with cash after sliding a napkin over the till demanding staff hand over money.

Described as a white man in his early 30s, the robber struck at Abbey in High Street, Newmarket, on Saturday morning.

He went up to the counter and handed a woman assistant his demand for money written on the napkin.

The man, who was about 5ft 8 or 9in tall, of slim build with short dark hair and stubble, then handed over a carrier bag into which the assistant placed a quantity of cash before fleeing into Kingston Passage.

Two female assistants were in the bank at the time of the incident, which happened at 10am. Neither were hurt. It is thought there was another person in the bank at the time using the cashpoint and police are keen to trace them as they may have important information.

Anybody who saw the incident should contact Dc Andrea French at Newmarket CID on 01284 774100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

In a separate incident, a man was walking along an alleyway off White Hart Lane in Brandon at 10.35pm when he was grabbed and surrounded by three males whose faces were covered with a hooded top.

One of the attackers threatened the man with a large machete-style knife and the victim handed over his silver Nokia mobile telephone, £80 in cash and a Frederique Contant steel watch. Anybody with information about this incident should contact Pc Lloyd Shelley at Brandon Police on 01284 774100.