THREE terrified female shop assistants were held at gunpoint by a man who burst in and robbed an off-licence.

The women's ordeal happened at about 9.40pm on Thursday, September 12, at the Greenalls off-licence on Islands Brow, Haresfinch, when a man entered the shop and pulled a scarf over the lower half of his face.

He then took out what appeared to be a black handgun from his pocket and pointed it at the three assistants behind the till, threatening to shoot them if they didn't hand over the takings.

The man then jumped over the counter and one of the women opened the shop's two tills for him to take the money, which came to about £380 in total. The robber then climbed back over the counter and ran out of the shop before driving off in a car which was possibly silver/grey in colour.

The assistants were unhurt but were left shocked and traumatised by the ordeal.

Their robber is described as white, about 25 years of age and between 5ft 6ins and 5ft 10ins tall. He was slimly-built with short, black hair and wore a black jacket and white-and-grey trainers.

Anyone with information can contact DC David Ellison at the St Helens Crime Management Unit on 0151 777 6050 or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.