Police are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery at Co-op, Lodge Lane, Grays.

Two men entered the shop at around 9pm yesterday (Wednesday, February 10). One stayed at the door, preventing people from entering and the other threatened a shop worker with an orange kitchen knife and demanded money.

The shop worker could not open the till so the suspect then demanded she fill a carrier bag with cigarettes. About 30-40 packs of cigarettes worth around £400 were stolen.

The men then left the shop, running across the road and into Premier Avenue.

The first suspect is described as white, in his mid to late twenties, around 5ft 8 or 9in tall with an average build. He has a small face with a pointy chin and nose, bright blue eyes and was wearing black gloves, a blue hooded jumper with white draw strings and black trousers.

The second suspect is described as white, around 5ft 10 - 6ft tall, with a medium build. He was wearing a scarf, dirty grey tracksuit bottoms, a blue three quarter length parka-style jacket with a fur trim and black woolly gloves.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Pc Manoj Patel at Grays CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.