TWO female betting shop attendants were threatened at knife point and locked in a back room when two men raided a bookmakers.

The robbers struck at the Coral shop, in Durham Road, Chilton, County Durham, at around 7.30pm on Friday night.

One man entered the shop with a knife, described as being the size of a large ruler, and demanded money.

He then forced two femaile members of staff into a back room ad locked then inside while a second man guarded the door, shouting 'hurry up' to his accomplice.

They then escaped with around £500 cash. It is thought they may have used a dark coloured Chrysler car to flee.

Neither woman was injured but both were extremely shaken.

Police officers attended the scene and a search of the area was carried out but no suspects have yet been found.

The man carrying the knife is described as 6ft tall, thin and wore a blue anorak and a white woolly hat under the hood.

Det Cons Cath Lawson, of Spennymoor CID, is appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to call 0345-60-60-365.