TWO masked youths wielding handguns have stolen around £200 in cash and cigarettes from a village shop.

The pair, wearing balaclavas, confronted a female worker in the shop in Inkberrow's High Street at 3.40pm yesterday with what are believed to be pistols.

No shots were fired and no one was injured in the incident.

"As she has no knowledge of firearms, there's no certainty that the weapons were replicas or real," said Det Sgt Dave Lewis, of West Mercia police.

"However, the victim is inclined to think they weren't real, as one was particularly shiny.

"Irrespective of them being real or fake, we're taking this incident very seriously."

The youths are thought to be white and in their teens.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact police on 08457 444 888, quoting 120C/030604.