A BUNGLING bank raider could not have chosen a more public target yesterday - but still managed to evade capture.

The culprit, believed to be a woman in her twenties, escaped under the noses of a high-profile audience which included the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Michael Turnbull, and veteran MP Derek Foster, who were attending the opening of a £750,000 improvement scheme in the centre of Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Television and Press photographers were waiting for the ceremony to start when the woman escaped through the crowd from the Co-op Bank, in Newgate Street, where seconds earlier she had threatened a woman customer with a penknife.

It was only afterwards that guests learned of the drama that had taken place.

Police, who could not get their car to the bank because the road was closed for the event, were studying television footage of the scene last night.

They said the woman had threatened the customer in an attempt to persuade bank staff to hand over money.

Durham County Council leader Councillor Ken Manton, who shared the platform with Mr Foster and Wear Valley District leader Olive Brown, said: "She must be the unluckiest bank robber in history. If somebody had come to Bishop Auckland thinking it was a quiet place they must have got quite a shock to find themselves being watched by the Bishop of Durham, the leader of the County Council and an MP.

"This woman should never take up a career in bank robbery. She should go on stage."

Councillor Mrs Brown said: "No one realised what had happened until afterwards. Everyone was sheltering from the rain under umbrellas.

"It was ironic that the road was closed for us and the police couldn't get near."

Detectives in Bishop Auckland last night appealed for help catching the woman, who was large and had dark hair braided into a pony tail. She wore a hat and dark clothing, and was seen running into an alleyway connecting Newgate Street with Kingsway.

Witnesses are asked to contact police on (01388) 603566.