A BANK has put up a £20,000 reward for information leading to the capture of members of an armed gang who subjected staff to a terrifying ordeal.

The NatWest Bank offered the reward after five masked men stole money which was being delivered to a branch in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, on Tuesday.

A Post Office guard was attacked and overpowered as he walked along an alley to the rear entrance of the bank, in Cambridge Crescent, in the busy town centre, at about 11am.

The robbers, including one man who was carrying a sledgehammer and another with a washing-up liquid bottle containing ammonia, forced bank staff back into the building before stealing an undisclosed sum of cash.

The men escaped along Parliament Street in a dark-coloured Audi, which was later found abandoned in Westcliffe Terrace, where another car is believed to have been waiting.

Police said no weapons were used in the raid, but although nobody was seriously injured, bank staff and guards were said to be extremely shaken.

Yesterday, North Yorkshire Police confirmed that NatWest Bank was offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gang.

But Detective Inspector Neil Thewsey said police had been disappointed with the poor public response to an appeal for witnesses.

"We haven't had very many people come forward to say they were in the area or at the scene. We have got some people from the first day, but it has only been a small response considering it was 11am in the centre of Harrogate," he said.

The men are all described as 5ft 10in to 6ft tall and wearing dark-coloured clothing. They had balaclava masks.

Detectives were continuing their inquiries yesterday and are liaising with forces in West Yorkshire over possible links with similar attacks in that area.

Anyone with information can call police on (01423) 505541 or Crimestoppers on (0800) 555111.