An 18-year-old man has been charged and is due to appear in court this morning after an alleged armed robbery at a shop in Stowmarket yesterday morning.

Connor Higgins, 18, of Kent Road, Stowmarket, was detained within an hour after the alleged incident at One Stop in Ipswich Street.

Police were called at around 8.15am yesterday to reports that a man had entered the shop and stolen a quantity of cash after showing staff what appeared to be a small axe, a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said.

Higgins was detained by officers soon after the alleged incident and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

He has been charged with robbery and is due to appear at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court in Ipswich today.

A second 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries and is due to return to police on April 24.

Witnesses or anyone with any information about the alleged incident is asked to call Suffolk Constabulary on 101, quoting CAD number 80 of Sunday, March 12.