Police this afternoon issued more details of a shotgun raid on Barclays Bank in Watlington.

Shortly after 2pm yesterday, a man walked into the Barclays Bank in High Street carrying a sawn-off shotgun.

He used this to threaten a female cashier in the bank and demanded she put money into a black bag before leaving.

The man then got into a white Transit van, with a vertical black stripe on the bonnet, and drove off.

The van was later recovered burnt out in the car park of the nearby St Leonard’s Church hall car park, where it is believed the robber transferred to a motorcycle.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "A significant number of officers, including armed response officers, were deployed to the incident, but the perpetrator had already fled the scene."

The robber is described as white, about 6ft 2in tall and was wearing a balaclava. He wore a fluorescent yellow jacket, with a black collar and silver reflective stripes on the back.

Det Insp Mark Johns said: “The whole incident lasted a matter of minutes from when the man entered the bank to when he left.

“Thankfully no one was hurt, though people in the bank at the time of the incident have been left shaken by what happened.

“We have since recovered what we believe to be the gun used in the robbery and we are reviewing CCTV in the area to trace where the man went after he abandoned the van.

“I would urge anyone who was in the Watlington area on the day of the robbery, or the days leading up to it, who may have witnessed the incident or seen anyone acting suspiciously to contact us immediately.

“I would also ask that if anyone finds an abandoned motorcycle in the Watlington area, they should contact police immediately.

“Residents should be reassured that Thames Valley Police is putting a lot of resources into catching this man, who we believe acted alone, and patrols have been stepped up in the local area.”

Anyone with information should contact Didcot CID via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.