Knife thug tries to rob newsagent

Police are appealing for witnesses following a knifepoint robbery attempt at a Musselburgh newsagent.

The incident happened around 6.20pm yesterday at the Paperview Newsagent in North High Street.

A man entered the shop and threatened the shopkeeper with a knife, demanding that she open the till. But the shopkeeper refused, and he left.

He is described as 5ft 11ins tall, 20 to 30-years-old, slim build, with a sallow complexion. He spoke with a foreign accent, possibly eastern European.

He was wearing a dark coloured hat, a white scarf over the lower part of his face, and a shiny royal blue tracksuit top and bottoms.

A police spokesman said: “While the shopkeeper wasn’t injured, she was understandably shaken as a result of her ordeal, and we are appealing to anyone who has any information that can help us trace the suspect to contact police.

“Anyone who was in the area of North High Street around the time of the incident, who noticed the suspect there, should get in touch by calling 101”.