'ARMED' robbers raided a city centre betting shop.

Two masked men made off with a quantity of cash, which has not been disclosed, after a female cashier feared one of them was concealing a weapon.

The first man approached the counter with his hands in his pockets and the other man stood in the doorway to prevent it from being locked.

A male customer tried to leave the Ladbrokes in St Martin’s Quarter, near Asda, but was told by the first man to sit down and threatened with violence.

Once the cash was handed over, both men made off on foot in the direction of St Paul’s Street.

The raid took place on Tuesday at 7.15pm.

Detective Constable Wayne Cashion of Worcester CID, who is investigating the incident, said: “Robberies of this nature are rare in Worcester.

“As such we are treating it very seriously. While no one was hurt, the cashier and the customers present were shaken up by the offence.

“It is unacceptable people have been targeted by criminals in their workplace.”

With masks covering their faces, witnesses thought the men were Asian but they could possibly be white.

They are described as in their late teens or early 20s, between 5ft 8ins and 6ft tall and of slim to medium build.

One was wearing a black hooded puffer-style jacket, blue tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the side and trainers.

He was wearing a mask that covered the lower half of his face, possibly a cyclist’s anti-pollution mask.

The other man was wearing a black hooded top and had a scarf over his face, possibly with a Burberry pattern.

“We would like to hear from anyone who recognises the description or who were in the St Martin’s Quarter or St Paul’s Street areas and saw something suspicious,” DC Cashion said.

They should call the police, quoting incident number 552s 14/01/14, on the non-emergency number 101.