Hunt For Purple-Haired Woman Bank Robber

Police in Manchester are trying to track down a knife-wielding woman who robbed a bank wearing a boiler suit.

The purple-haired suspect forced staff at the Santander Bank in Piccadilly Gardens to hand over money, after unsuccessfully trying to rob another bank.

Police say she is around 50 years old, 5ft 5ins tall, with a large nose, facial birth mark and distinctive spiky purple hair.

Detectives say the woman walked into the Yorkshire Bank branch posing as a customer before passing a threatening note to staff demanding money.

She then pulled out a kitchen knife but staff activated the security shields, and she fled empty handed.

She then went to the Santander Bank and demanded money while threatening staff with the same knife.

They handed over cash before the woman left the premises. No-one was injured during the incidents.

Detective Constable Mike Reed said: "This woman has walked into a city centre bank at a busy time and threatened staff with a knife before forcing them to hand over money.

"The staff were shaken but fortunately nobody was harmed.

"We are appealing to anyone who may have been in the area at the time and recognises this woman to come forward."