The raid happened at 8.54pm on Saturday at Coral bookmakers in Grange Road.

A man wearing a hoodie with a scarf covering his face burst into the premises, jumped over the counter and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Two women workers inside at the time were uninjured, but shaken.

Police say the robber escaped on foot with a woman in the direction of the Jarrow Crusader pub.

Detectives are now keen to trace a man and a woman seen outside the bookmakers just before the robbery.

The man was aged 16-19, slim, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 8ins, clean shaven with dark hair.

He was wearing a dark nylon sports jacket with a hooded top underneath, dark Adidas tracksuit bottoms with three stripes down to the knee, dark socks pulled over his tracksuit bottoms, and white plimsoll-type trainers.

The woman was also between 16-19, slim, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 8ins, with dark hair.

She was wearing a light or beige jacket, and denim bootcut jeans. She was carrying a bag with a strap worn from her left shoulder across her body to her right side.

They were seen walking from Ellison Street before the robbery took place.

Detectives are appealing for anyone with information on the robbery or whether the couple used public transport to contact them on 03456 043 043.