A cashier was left terrified when a masked robber threatened her with a gun in a raid on a shop.

The raider burst into the Co-Op convenience store in Brook Street, Ilkley, on Tuesday evening and threatened a member of staff with a gun. He escaped with a small amount of cash and a clutch of scratch cards.

A female employee, who has not been named, was unharmed but left badly shaken in the ordeal, which happened at around 9.40pm.

It comes just weeks after a gang wielding sledgehammers raided a jewellery shop in the town last month and fled with around £400,000 of luxury watches and diamond rings.

Residents have today spoken of their concern at the latest incident but police claim robberies are still rare in the area.

Det Insp Richard Partis, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: “Offences such as these are very rare for the Ilkley area and we are appealing for witnesses to help locate this individual.

“We would ask anyone who saw a man fitting his description acting suspiciously in or near Brook Street shortly before or after the robbery to contact us.”

The offender is described as white, about 6ft 3ins tall with short blonde hair. He was wearing a scarf over his face and had red patches under his eyes.

Paul Birch, chairman of the Ilkley Business Forum, spoke of his shock and said the robberies would be brought up at a forum meeting tonight to see if anything could be done.

He said: “I am concerned for all the businesses in Ilkley but I am sure the local police are doing their best to catch the robber.”