CASH was stolen after a store worker was attacked in a robbery at a Rubery store.

The incident happened at 9.45pm at the Farmfoods store in New Road on Wednesday, January 22.

A member of staff was attacked and injured after trying to intervene when three, possibly four, masked men entered the store and threatened the other workers.

The robbers, including one armed with a hammer, forced staff to open a safe and then escaped with a quantity of cash. They left the building the same way they had entered, through a side door, making off on foot along a secluded alleyway that runs alongside the car park.

One of the raiders is described as around five feet nine inches, chubby and appeared to be Asian. He wore a blue top, black tracksuit bottoms and a black scarf over his face.

Another was of similar height, slimmer, appeared to be in his 20s and wore black clothing with a hood and had his face covered. One of the robbers was black and wore a dark blue mask across the lower half of his face.

The store was cordoned off for forensic examination, following the incident.

Detective Inspector Dean Jones said: “This was a nasty incident and the robbers were prepared to use violence which makes it all the more important that we trace them quickly.

“We need the public's help and would urge anyone who was in the area at around that time last night to contact us if they saw anyone making their way to or from the store.

"The robbers may have had a car parked nearby so if you think you saw them getting into a vehicle or know anything at all that may be connected with this then please get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at North Worcestershire CID on non-emergency number 101, quoting incident reference number 637-S-220114.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.