A 60-YEAR-OLD grandmother was caught in the middle of an armed robbery in Bentham's Main Street this week.

Vicky Bowers walked into an attack by a masked robber on a Securicor guard delivering to Barclays Bank on Tuesday morning.

Mrs Bowers, who is a part-time shop assistant, was walking through the town when she was stopped in her tracks.

She said: "I was just crossing over the cobble stones when I suddenly stopped because there were two men fighting in front of me and lots of noise.

"I first thought they were two drunks from the pub, but when I got my brain together, I realised an alarm was saying 'call the police, call the police' and I realised it was actually a security man fighting with the other man and that it was a robbery."

Mrs Bowers, who is married with two sons and two grandchildren, added: "I didn't know whether to phone the police or help the security guard, but then the man threw something into a van and drove off. It all happened so quickly."

It was later revealed that a large amount of cash had been seized by two masked men, one armed with a sawn-off shotgun and the other with what was believed to be a baseball bat.

Joe Winn, manager of Barclays Bank, said: "It was obviously very frightening and distressing for all concerned but we must be grateful that no one was physically harmed although psychologically only time will tell."

Det Sgt Mick Moore told the Herald the robbers had jumped into a getaway vehicle, a red Daihatsu Fourtrak, believed to have been driven by a third person.

It was stolen from Milnthorpe on November 1, and was found burned out four miles from the scene on the road towards Settle.

The robbers had then transferred into a green Rover 218 car, which crashed into a wall between Austwick and Horton-in-Ribblesdale.It is believed to have been stolen from Ambleside.

Armed police officers searched the area, assisted by the Lancashire Police helicopter.

Det Sgt Moore said: "This is a particularly harrowing crime, committed in broad daylight in a small Yorkshire town, and we would appeal to anyone who knows anything at all to get in touch with us in the strictest confidence.

"A team of detectives are working on inquiries and we have a number of items of forensic evidence which will be sent for examination."

A description of the two robbers has been put together. The first is described as male, of medium build, wearing a padded type winter jacket. He had his head covered with a black ski mask.

The second, who demanded the money from the Securicor guard, is similarly described but was wearing a light coloured ski mask and had a North West Lancashire accent.

Schools and businesses were warned to be vigilant by police and Det Sgt Moore added that the police had followed-up several possible sightings of the robbers across North Craven.

The police are continuing their inquiries and anyone with information should contact the Skipton CID on 01756 793377, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.