RESIDENTS have spoken of their shock after a knife-wielding robber with a painted face threatened a newsagent cashier in broad daylight.

The robber, whose face was painted white, walked into Biglins newsagents, in West Auckland Road, Darlington, at 12.30pm today (Wednesday, October 29) and threatened the cashier with a knife.

The 40-year-old handed money from the till and the brazen thief made off on foot in an unknown direction.

The robber, who is white and about 6ft tall, spoke with a local accent and is thought to be in his late teens or early twenties.

He was also wearing jeans with a white or grey hooded top and had a white painted face.

Detective Inspector Wendy Tinkler, from Darlington CID, said: “This was clearly a very distressing incident for the cashier who has been left shaken although otherwise unharmed.

“With this in mind I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time mentioned or anyone who can help us identify this man.

“The incident happened over the lunchtime period in a particularly busy area of Darlington, I am hopeful someone may have seen something that can help my investigation.”

Nearby residents said they were shocked to hear of the robbery, which took place on a busy main road in broad daylight.

One woman said: “I can’t believe it happened in broad daylight here. Nothing like this has ever happened before – it is quite frightening really.”

Another woman said: “They have been there quite a few years now and they are really lovely people.

“I can’t believe it has happened.”

A staff member at the nearby Trish Brown Hairdressing added: “The first thing I knew about it was when I saw the police. I was finishing with a client and she got up and said there are police out there.

“It has been a beautiful day, you don’t expect something like this. It is really shocking.”

Anyone with any information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.