A GUNMAN stole £400 after threatening a terrified woman cashier at a garage.

The middle-aged man, wearing a distinctive red hard hat and a luminous yellow safety jacket, entered Park Garage in Whalley New Road, Blackburn, just after 7.30pm last night.

He bought a newspaper, then approached the female cashier, pointed a gun at her and threatened to shoot her, before escaping with cash.

The woman, who was not injured, was able to activate a panic button as the man escaped along an alleyway towards Brownhill Road. The hard hat and yellow jacket were later found in a skip at the rear of Brownhill Surgery, just a few hundred yards from the scene of the robbery.

The man is described as about 45 years, 5ft 3in tall, of medium build and wearing jeans and red tinted glasses.

Richard Cox, managing director of the Kay Group, owners of Park Garage, said: "We have never had any problems of this kind before at the garage.

"The female assistant has been with us for about six months and although she was not injured she was left badly shaken up by the ordeal.

"It is my understanding that the man approached her and demanded money from the till before making his escape with a quantity of cash."

Inspector Steve Haworth, of Blackburn Police, said: "The female cashier was not injured in this incident, but was shaken up.

"We would appeal to anyone with any information about this man or who may have seen him leaving the scene to contact the police."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Blackburn Police on 01254 51212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.