A KNIFE-wielding robber threatened a Tesco Express staff member in Witney before making off with cash.

Police said the man walked towards the tills and jumped over the counter, threatening a 31-year-old man, and demanded that he opened the tills, just after 10pm on Wednesday night.

He entered the Valence Crescent store armed with a 'large knife' and took a 'quantity of cash' before jumping back over the counter and running out of the store in the general direction of Deer Park Road, police added.

The victim was not injured during the incident.

Police are appealing for a customer in the store just before the incident to come forward and released a detailed description of the man, who is believed to be white, of medium build and around 5ft 8ins tall.

He was wearing a dark blue padded jacket, with the hood up, with a small rectangle logo or writing on the right sleeve and dark blue jeans, dark converse style shoes with white laces and white toe. The man also wore dark woollen gloves, a dark scarf over the lower section of his face and was carrying an orange carrier bag. He held the knife in his right hand.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Mark Personius of Force CID, based at Banbury police station, said: “I am appealing for any information that can assist in my investigation, and particularly asking anybody who may have CCTV footage or dash-cam footage in the immediate area and close to Deer Park recreational grounds, to make contact with us.

“There was a female customer in the store when the incident happened who left just prior to officers arriving on scene. I am appealing for this specific witness to come forward.

“Anybody who believes they may have witnessed this should call the 24-hour non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 43190131129.”