A masked robber armed with a handgun forced a young woman assistant to hand over cash during a raid at a Shropshire petrol station. The man then fled.

Armed police sealed off Forton Road, Newport, after the robber fled with cash from the BP garage yesterday, at 6.35pm.

The terrified assistant handed over cash when the robber, aged in his 50s, brandished the weapon.

Detectives were studying CCTV images today to try to trace the man.

Denise Wakefield, Telford police spokeswoman, said: “The man who was disguising himself with a mask threatened the young female assistant with a handgun and demanded she handed over some cash.

“The assistant handed over the cash and the man walked out of the garage.

“He came out of the shop across the forecourt and has walked back on to Forton Road past the rugby club in the same direction he came from.

“Police are eager to trace two motorists who drove past the scene in the same direction the man was walking.

“These vehicles were a silver saloon and a small white van. These vehicles were travelling behind one another and past the scene as the man was leaving the forecourt. We believe they may have seen the offender and would be able to assist us with our inquiries.

“We attended the scene and armed officers contained the area and carried out a thorough search but the man had fled.”

Mrs Wakefield said detectives wished to stress the armed robbery was a “very rare” incident.

The garage was open as usual today, but the owner declined to comment.

Anyone with information can call 0300 333 3000.