A GUNMAN who escaped with thousands of pounds following a raid on a building society office in Pershore was being hunted by police this week.

The man, said to be aged between 40 and 55, walked into the High Street offices of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society at 3.50pm on Thursday afternoon.

He produced a handgun and demanded cash from terrified staff. He escaped on foot with several thousand pounds. He was carrying the cash in a black or green cotton bag which he had taken with him.

Police said that one customer had been in the shop at the time of the raid but no one had been injured. Detectives have been studying CCTV footage in an attempt to discover where the robber went after he left the premises. The man is described as white and about 5ft 6in or 5ft 9in tall, of medium or stocky build.

He was clean shaven with thick, straight brown hair covering half his ears - possibly a wig - that protruded prominently from under a light-coloured baseball cap which had a red motif, possibly the number 82, on the front. He was wearing a green three-quarter length coat with a zip and large pockets, which had the collar pulled up.

Evesham CID are also anxious to talk to a man who was seen with a traditional bicycle near the premises at the time of the offence. He is described as white, aged about 50, with grey hair and wearing a white or off-white baseball cap.

Anyone who recognises the description or saw someone fitting those descriptions in or around High Street about the time of the robbery is asked to contact police on 08457 444 888 quoting 460S/190106.