TWO hairdressers were forced to hand over cash when a masked man brandishing a knife burst into their salon.

The staff at the Temple Hair Studio, Bolton Road, Darwen, were tidying up at around 6.30pm on Tuesday when a man in a balaclava entered, pulled out a knife and shouted: "It's a robbery, give me your money."

He took a lilac cash box containing £90 and fled up Bolton Road towards a waiting car.

Gemma Shone, 19, a stylist, was in a back room of the studio when the man walked in and began threatening her colleague, Samantha Lang, 17.

She said: "We were cleaning up and it was only about five minutes after my last client had left.

"I was in the back room but I heard all the noise. He was shouting at our junior, Samantha, and was being really aggressive.

"When I walked in she had handed over the money. I tried to grab it off him but he started waving the knife about so I decided it was best to let it go.

"He seemed to know what he was doing but didn't rush.

"We are still in shock and Samantha couldn't speak to the police straight away because she was shaken up by it all." Gemma described the man as 6ft, with a local accent, in his 20s, wearing a navy or black fleece, beige tracksuit bottoms which had a rip in the back, and trainers.

DC Mark Oates, of Darwen CID, said: "A man came in through the front door wearing a balaclava and approached the member of staff behind the till.

"They realised that refusing to hand over the money was not in their interest as he had a knife in his hand.

"He put the cash tin under his coat and ran off, removing his balaclava as he got to the front door.

"He ran up Bolton Road and was seen to get into a black car, possibly with blacked-out windows, which was waiting nearby with the engine running.

"Bolton Road is very busy at that time so people might have been going to and from work.

"The vehicle must have been parked there for a number of minutes while the robbery was taking place so we want to hear from anyone who saw a suspicious vehicle or who may have CCTV of that area."

Anyone with information should contact Darwen CID on 01254 353841 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.