POLICE were trawling through CCTV footage which could hold the key to catching an armed robber who struck at an Ipswich newsagents today.The raid took place at McColls shop and post office in Ellenbrook Road around 6.

POLICE were trawling through CCTV footage which could hold the key to catching an armed robber who struck at an Ipswich newsagents today.

The raid took place at McColls shop and post office in Ellenbrook Road around 6.30am.

A man wearing a balaclava and holding what appeared to be a knife, entered the post office and demanded money from the shop assistant.

The masked raider then escaped through the rear of the premises with an undisclosed quantity of cash.

Opposite the shop Jo Brown was turning up for work at the BP garage.

She said: "I was just getting to work at 6.30am but I didn't see anything myself.

"Police have come in to pick up the CCTV footage from our forecourt to see if it picked anything up.

"The whole thing has shaken me up a little as I open the store up by myself and just yards away this was happening."

McColl's doors were closed today and a hand written sign hung in the door saying "shop closed U.F.N (until further notice)".

Two police officers stayed inside the store with a female member of staff.

A few shops away at Scotts Hardware shop assistant Linda Robinson said other members of staff from McColls had been coming past all morning.

She said: "I think they have been coming in so police can interview them.

"I know one of the ladies who work there and it must have been a shock for her.

"The police came to ask me if I had seen anything but I don't come in to open up until 8.45am."

It is not the first time the area has been targeted by armed robbers.

Just over a year ago, on November 5, last year, the same shop was targeted by a man wielding a gun.

Quick-thinking shop staff foiled the robber by pressing the store's panic button.

The robber fled the store empty-handed.

The area has been blighted by robberies over the last two years.

On March 5 this year a Securicor guard was beaten to the ground at Snax 24, the former name of the BP garage which is opposite McColls. Robbers then seized the garage's takings before fleeing.

In June 2002 the Belstead Arms pub in Ellenbrook Green was held-up by three masked men armed with knives.

Anyone who saw anything unusual in the area before or after this morning's robbery should contact Suffolk police immediately on 999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.