A KNIFEMAN raided a bookies in the centre of Basildon – just days after he is believed to have targeted another of the town’s betting shops.

The masked thug stormed into Coral, in East Square, at about 7.30pm on Saturday and held a woman at knifepoint, before making off with a three-figure sum of cash.

Police think it is the same man who wielded a kitchen knife while robbing Ladbrokes, in Clay Hill Road, Basildon, just six days earlier.

The manager of one bookmakers in the town centre, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of being the next branch to be targeted, said: “It’s very frightening. To think that he’s struck twice, in such a short amount of time, is very scary. He could attack us next.”

The man, who was wearing a balaclava and a waist-length green coat during Saturday’s raid, is being hunted by police. Armed officers searched the town centre in the aftermath of the robbery, but failed to find any trace of the man.

They are now scouring CCTV footage to try to identify him.

The attack follows a similar raid at Ladbrokes raid at about 5pm last Sunday. Then staff were forced to hand over a four-figure sum of cash after a man, whose face was masked by a black scarf, strolled in brandishing a knife and said: “Give us your money.”

His description closely matches that given by the 58-year-old woman who was held hostage in Saturday’s robbery. She reported a white man, approximately 5ft 9ins tall and of slim build.

Police believe he might have been loitering near the shop earlier in the evening – they also confirmed they are linking the raid to the Ladbrokes robbery.

Det Con Ian Burgess, who is investigating both robberies, said: “The latest one took place in the heart of the town centre, so there would have been people milling around at the time.

“We believe the attacker had been there earlier in the evening, so anyone who recognises him from the description is a key witness.”

A neighbouring shopkeeper, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We are quite tucked away down here.

“We’re right in the corner of a square, so there’s not many people walking by who could help you if something like that happened.

“It’s always been safe place before, so I certainly didn’t expect anything like this to happen.”