Appeal for bank raid phone photos

CCTV image of a black car pulling away from the robbery scene

Police have appealed for people who witnessed an armed robbery to come forward if they used their mobile phones to take photos.

A security guard was shot in the thigh and a member of the public injured in the raid on a bank in the centre of Newport at about 1045 BST on Monday.

Three men escaped in a dark car after stealing a substantial amount of money.

Police said CCTV images had shown people in the street were using mobile phones at the time of the robbery.

A forensics team conducted new a search of the area on Tuesday

The man coshed on the head when he tried to help the security guard, had not be named, but police confirmed that he has been released. The shot security guard has undergone surgery in hospital.

Shops and banks were cordoned off after the incident outside the Halifax bank in Newport's main shopping street.

Supt Geoff Ronayne said it was "more by luck than judgement" that the 55-year-old guard - a family man who had worked for Securicor for many years - had not been killed.

These are dangerous men... They need to be caught before they strike again Supt Geoff Ronayne

The guard was grabbed by the robbers inside the bank. A shot was fired inside the premises from a handgun before the "extremely callous" gang took the guard outside where he was shot him in the leg, according to police.

"They've shot the security guard when there was no reason to do," said Supt Ronayne.

Witnesses told the BBC news website they had seen the vehicle drive off at high speed, with some pedestrians having to leap out of its way.

CCTV cameras tracked it down Commercial Street and into Skinner Street, where operators lost sight of it.

One of the metal boxes was recovered a short distance away at a junction known as the old green roundabout.

Supt Ronayne said robberies in the force area in which firearms were used were "unusual". Officers suspect the men involved may have a connection with Newport, but may be from outside the area.

Card shop manager Melanie Griffiths heard the shooting

"There was a considerable element of planning, therefore, I'm looking for people who have seen this black or blue Mitsubishi vehicle or seen these individuals in Newport before," he said.

"These are dangerous men. They had no qualms about shooting someone in an open street and we are concerned about them attacking again.

"They need to be caught before they strike again."

More than 40 officers are investigating the robbery. They are seeking three men - two black and one white - who were believed to have been wearing balaclavas or "headgear of some sort" during the attack.

Witness Melanie Griffiths, manager of a card shop in Commercial Street, said: "I heard a loud bang and then it was like the racing of a car.

"And then you actually saw the car speeding past the window and you could just see people diving into doorways and grabbing kids and stuff off the street."

Securicor has offered a "substantial reward" for information leading to the conviction of the robbers.

Witnesses are asked to contact Gwent Police on 01633 838111 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.