A robber who threatened a Co-op manager with a knife has been jailed for six years and nine months.

Callum Brooks, 29, of Wavell Gardens, Slough, admitted robbing the Co-op in Bells Hill Green, Stoke Poges and being in possession of a bladed weapon in a public place when he appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court on Monday, May 4.

Early morning on Monday, March 9 he had gone into the Co-op wearing a mask. He had been spotted earlier along with other men sitting in a small black car nearby producing a knife from under a sheet.

The woman who saw this called the police.

Once inside the shop Brooks emptied almost £4,000 worth of cigarettes into a large, empty duvet cover, threatening the manager with the knife and marching him to the back of the shop before ripping one of the tills from the counter badly damaging the store's IT network.

He then ran from the shop, escaping in the car.

Officers already on their way to the scene intercepted the car and after a brief chase Brooks was arrested.

He was still in possession of the face mask and admitted to officers that he had committed an armed robbery.

The car, which was believed to have been on false plates, was searched and the stolen till and duvet cover full of cigarettes found in the boot.

No-one was injured during the incident.

Investigating officer Detective Constable James Lacey, of Force CID based at Aylesbury, said: “This was an appalling robbery which took place at a busy time of day with numerous members of the public including school children going about their business.

“This was undoubtedly a terrifying ordeal for all the innocent parties caught up in it.

“It was a pre-meditated, organised crime, evidenced through the fact that Brooks was still in possession of items to conceal his identity and avoid forensic detection, and the fact that he was using a vehicle on false plates.

“Callum Brooks is a dangerous offender who demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety of everyone around him."