A SUPERMARKET was held up at gunpoint last night.

A man armed with a handgun pushed through a queue of waiting customers at Sainsbury's Local , in Southchurch Road, before ordering a member of staff to open the till.

He then reached over the counter and grabbed a handful of notes worth a three figure sum.

Detectives would like to speak to witnesses who were in the store at about 9pm yesteday.

They particularly want to talk to a woman who was standing in the queue when the man burst in and also a man who was walking through the door as the robber ran off.

The suspect was white, about 5ft 2ins to 5ft 5ins tall, had a pale complexion and a brown or ginger beard. He was wearing a khaki-coloured Stone Island three-quarter length coat with fur-edged hood pulled tight over his face. He was also wearing black jeans and white trainers.

Anyone with information should contact DC Martin or colleagues at Southend CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.