AN ARMED robber escaped with a substantial amount of cash from a York estate agency after threatening a cashier with a knife.

The incident, which left the cashier suffering from shock, happened at 9.15am on Saturday, at the Nationwide building society till inside Hunters' estate agents in York Road, Acomb.

Police said a man had gone into the agents' branch demanding money, and had pointed a knife at a woman cashier behind the cash desk.

The cashier handed over a "substantial amount" of money, and the man fled the premises.

He was last seen running down School Street. Nearby shop staff and passers by expressed shock that the crime could have been carried out on a Saturday morning in a busy shopping street. "It's a bit audacious," said one local, who asked not to be named. "It's just starting to build up with customers then."

Meanwhile, staff at the nearby British Heart Foundation charity shop said they had neither seen nor heard any of what had happened only a few doors away.

"It doesn't bear thinking about," said one member of staff.

Keith Hollinrake, joint chief executive of Hunters, said it was the first time the agency had been targeted by an armed robber.

He said the cashier, a local woman, was left "shocked" by her "nightmare experience".

"She's quite a strong woman, but she is shocked," he said. "My reaction is initially one of relief in that this could have been a lot worse. Thank God that the member of staff was not hurt.

"We won't expect her to be back until she feels ready to be back.

"From her point of view, she's probably not going to want these people to affect her life."

Mr Hollinrake urged anyone who knew anything about the incident to get in touch with police.

"Somebody, somewhere, will know who has done this," he said.

"The police so far have done a fantastic job.

"We are strong supporters of the community in so many areas. We've raised more than £300,000 for charity.

"While the police are doing their best to find out who this person is, I think we do have a collective responsibility to say it was that person and let's get him off the streets."

The robber is described as white, about 5ft 6ins to 5ft 8ins tall, slim, and aged in his early 40s.

He had decaying teeth, greying hair, stubble on his face, and was wearing a blue baseball cap, large round spectacles and a high-visibility fluorescent waistcoat-style jacket.

Anyone who has any information about the robbery should phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, or North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247, asking for DC Mark Jackson.

Updated: 09:32 Monday, April 03, 2006