POLICE IN THE North are trying to trace two suspects responsible for the robbery of a shop in east Belfast this afternoon.

At around 1pm, two men entered a shop on Mountpottinger Road. One approached the counter to pay for an item.

When the till was opened, his accomplice leapt over the counter and put his hand in the till drawer to grab money.

A struggle ensued between the suspect and the shop worker during which the employee sustained an injury to her arm.

The suspects then fled with a sum of money and got into a waiting car that police believe to have been a red Renault Megane.

One of the men is described as being in his late twenties, with short ginger hair, tall and of a heavy build. He was wearing a green-coloured jacket that had two white stripes across the body.

The other is also believed to be in his twenties, shorter than the first suspect of average build and dark hair. He wore a black jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms and black runners with white stripes.

Detective sergeant Stephen Gardiner said: “This was an extremely traumatic ordeal for the staff member who, while doing her job, suffered a frightening experience. No one should have to endure this type of ordeal.

I want to appeal to anyone who was in the area just prior to 1pm and until 1.15pm and saw two males matching the description of the suspects acting suspiciously, or who believes they saw the a vehicle matching that reported to have been used by the suspects, to get in touch with us.