Robbers pulled a knife on horrified staff when they struck in broad daylight at a York city centre travel agency today.

Two raiders got away with a large amount of cash after threatening three workers at Going Places in Piccadilly.

Nobody was hurt in the incident, just after 11am, and no customers were in the shop at the time.

Afterwards, store manager Mark Rushworth praised colleagues for their coolness in the face of the knifeman and his accomplice.

The defiant boss said the store, closed for detectives to interview staff and scenes- of- crime officers to inspect the premises, should be open for business as usual tomorrow despite the attack.

"I'm pleased that the staff are okay and I am proud of the way they have handled it all," he said.

"It's one of those things, you don't know how you're going to react until it's happened.

"Hopefully, we will be able to organise ourselves by the end of today and be able to open tomorrow."

Police in York said today it was too soon to know whether the raid had been planned by the robbers or if it might be linked with any other crimes.

A spokesman said he was relieved that nobody had been hurt, but added: "It's fair to assume that they (the staff) will be extremely distressed by the situation."

He said police were appealing for witnesses of today's raid and issued a description of two men the police were seeking.

The first man, who carried a knife, was white, about 5ft 7in tall and wore dark- blue tracksuit bottoms, Nike trainers, a blue jacket and a baseball cap. He was carrying a brown leather rucksack.

The second suspect was also white with short dark hair, wearing a light-blue baggy jumper with the sleeves hanging down below the cuffs of a black jacket. He also wore a black baseball cap.

Anyone with information should contact police at York.

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