Police are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery at a jewellers.

Three men wearing balaclavas and armed with axes entered S Manning Jewellers, on New Market, Otley, at about 4.45pm on Wednesday, January 30.

The criminals threatened staff before stealing a large quantity of jewellery from the window display and then driving off in a silver Toyota Avensis. The car, which had been stolen from the Horsforth area on December 6, was later found dumped nearby, on Riverdale Road.

The men were white, spoke with a local accent, and wore dark clothing.

Police would like to talk to anybody who saw the incident or saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area. Detectives are also keen to hear from anyone who saw the men abandoning the car on Riverdale Road, or who saw it being used after it was stolen.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Marie Greenwood at Pudsey police station on 101, or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

S Manning Jewellers was targeted by a sledgehammer-wielding gang who went on a spree of robberies, which included raids on Lister Horsfall jewellers in Ilkley and Otley's Santander Bank, in the summer of 2011. Two members of the gang were jailed for 12 years each in early 2012.