Man threatens woman with meat cleaver before stealing poppy appeal tin

Three-figure sum of cash stolen during the burglary

Police are currently searching for the man responsible (file photo) (Getty)

A man threatened a member of staff at a bookmakers with a meat cleaver before stealing a poppy appeal tin.

The thief, who had been using a gaming machine, approached a female worker behind the counter and made the threat on 2 November in the shop in West Lothian.

A three-figure sum of cash was stolen during the burglary.

The member of staff and a male customer were unharmed as a result of the incident.

Detective Inspector Paul Batten, of Livingston CID, said: “This was a frightening attack which has left a female member of staff badly upset. We are eager to trace the man responsible as soon as possible. I would ask anyone who was in the Hopetoun Street area and saw anything suspicious, to get in touch with us immediately.”

The man is described as white and in his late twenties to early thirties and reportedly smelled of cannabis.

He is around 5ft 10in to 6ft with a slim build and blue/green eyes that appeared bloodshot.

He is also described as having brown greasy hair that was short at the sides and longer on the top. He was wearing a grey wind breaker-style jacket, a black scarf, black jogging bottoms and black trainers with white soles.

Agencies contributed to this report