A MAN armed with a heavy metal bar threatened a counter assistant at a Burnley post office before escaping with cash from the till.

Police are hunting a man who held up the Hebrew Road branch at around noon yesterday.

The raider forced the female member of staff to hand over the contents of the till.

Then the robber ordered her to place the money in a white plastic bag, which she handed over before he fled the premises.

Investigators believe that he turned left on leaving the shop, having escaped with “a small quantity of bank notes”.

Police said that the suspect is white, around 5ft 10in to 6ft tall, skinny and around 25 years old.

He spoke with a local accent and was wearing a grey hooded top, tracksuit bottoms and a scarf wrapped around his face.

DS Alisa Wilson, of Burnley CID, said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the shop assistant which has left her badly shaken.

“I am keen for anyone who may have seen a man matching the description hanging around the post office prior to the robbery or running off from the scene.

“Anyone who may have witnessed the robbery or has information about the identity of the man should contact police on 101 quoting log number 0448 of January 30.”

Potential witnesses can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

It is not the first time the branch has been at the centre of a raid.

The same post office was also held up in 2003.

On that occasion, a 19-year-old staff member had a knife held to his throat by two robbers who fled with £1,000 and mobile-phone top-up cards.