A WOULD-BE robber walked into a York bank and told staff “I have a bomb” – sparking a full-scale 999 alert.

The man handed over a note to a cashier at the High Ousegate branch of the Santander bank yesterday.

He claimed he was armed with an explosive, before walking out empty-handed shortly afterwards, The Press understands.

Police said minutes after the incident – which was reported at 10.17am by a branch worker – a man handed himself over to a police community support officer nearby and confessed to the attempted armed robbery.

He has been arrested and is in police custody.

Nobody was injured in the incident but the branch was closed yesterday.

A police spokesman said: “The 58-year-old local man has been arrested in connection with the incident, and is currently in police custody.”