MASKED men brandished a sawn-off shotgun during a late-night raid on an Ipswich takeaway – the third robbery of its kind in three days.The two men burst into KFC takeaway, in Felixstowe Road, just before midnight yesterday after threatening a staff member who was putting out rubbish behind the store.

MASKED men brandished a sawn-off shotgun during a late-night raid on an Ipswich takeaway – the third robbery of its kind in three days.

The two men burst into KFC takeaway, in Felixstowe Road, just before midnight yesterday after threatening a staff member who was putting out rubbish behind the store.

One of them was holding what was believed to be a sawn-off shotgun.

The raiders escaped with cash after the three frightened employees, including two women, opened the safe. The men left the shop and a car was heard speeding off outside.

Both raiders were dressed in dark clothing. The first was about 5ft 11in, of stocky build and was wearing a loose-fitting black hat.

The second man was wearing a hooded top and a dark coloured balaclava and scarf. He is described as slim and said to be between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10in.

Detective inspector Harold Hayward appealed for witnesses and said: "This was a particularly frightening experience for the people involved."

On Friday night, at around 8pm, a man armed with a sawn-off shotgun robbed the Thresher Wine Shop, in Bramford Road and threatened a female shop assistant before running off with a quantity of cash.

Less than two hours later, the Alldays store in Sprites Lane was hit. Two female members of staff were threatened and cash and phone cards stolen,

The manager of the KFC, Karen Squirrell, and her sister Julie, who also works there, were both recovering at home today but it was thought they would reopen the shop today.

Following this latest incident, shopkeepers along Felixstowe Road spoke of their shock and fear.

Manda Patel, 43, who has run the newsagents next door to KFC for more than 11 years said: "I live upstairs with my husband and four children and we didn't hear a thing. I heard about the other raids, you hear about these things and you sometimes wonder where they get the firearms from.

"I think everybody is at risk but I hope that nothing ever happens here."

A spokeswoman for KFC said: "We are very concerned about the incident as we take the security of our stores very seriously and we are currently helping police with their inquiries."

Anyone with information should contact Det Insp Hayward on 01473 383133 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.