A MAN dressed in a burkha robbed a bank in Bacup yesterday afternoon, fleeing with cash.

The man walked into the Barclays bank, in Market Street, at around 3.10pm and demanded money from the cashier.

The female cashier handed over an amount of money and the man left the bank.

It is not believed the robber was armed during the incident and nobody was injured, although the member of staff was left shaken.

Det Insp Vinny De Curtis said: “I would appeal to anybody who thinks they may have seen this man either before or after the robbery, perhaps getting in to or out of a car, to contact police."

The suspect is described as white, of medium build and around 5ft 9ins or 10ins tall.

He was wearing a burkha and white trainers and was carrying a white, plastic Co-op carrier bag.

County Councillor Sean Serridge, who represents Rossendale East, said: “I was due to have a meeting with police at 3pm and got a call at about five past to say they were on an urgent job and had to council.

“There were at least three police vans in the town centre, another two down at Futures Park and a helicopter. It’s very unusual to see the police helicopter up over Weir.

“I’ve been down to the bank and you can see that a cash machine inside has been cordoned off but the officers told me no one was injured.”

Anybody with any information can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or on-line at Crimestoppers-uk.org.

No personal details were taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.