A POLICE manhunt has been launched for a bank-robbing pensioner.

Staff at a High Street branch of Bradford and Bingley at Stockton were held up by someone who appeared to be in his 60s and escaped with several hundreds of pounds cash.

"He warned staff it was no hoax, placed an empty plastic bag on the counter and ordered them to fill it with cash,'' said a spokesman for Cleveland Police. "He then calmly walked out of the bank and disappeared among the high street crowds.''

Police are carefully scanning reels of CCTV film for pictures of the elderly bandit who is described as being in his 60s, slim and about five feet, ten inches tall.

He was dressed in a green water proof mackintosh fastened to the neck, a flat cap and glasses and he struck just before close of business on Thursday.

Detective Sergeant Adrian Bradley said: "This was a robbery that could well have been carried out by a man in his 60s or someone in a good disguise. We are interested in speaking to anyone who was near the Bradford and Bingley branch between 4.30pm and 5pm and may have seen someone matching his description.''

Anyone with information should contact Cleveland Police on (01642) 302226.