A gun was pointed at a shop worker while she was opening a store in Ayrshire.

The incident happened at Spar on Montgomery Street in Tarbolton at 6.45am on Sunday.

A 57-year-old woman was beginning her shift at the shop before a man wearing a dark balaclava appeared from behind her and presented a gun.

The man demanded she open the door but the alarm was raised and the suspect fled along Park Road.

He is white, between 5ft 8in and 6ft, slim and had a local accent. The man was wearing a navy bomber jacket, dark trousers and was a carrying a sports holdall.

Sergeant Craig Semple said: "From witnesses spoken to so far we understand that the suspect had been sitting at the bus stop across from the Spar for some time prior to the incident.

"Extensive enquiries are ongoing and in particular I would like to speak to a man and a women who walked passed the suspect at around 6am and appeared to stop and look at him.

"The man is described as in his early 20s, with dark hair swept to the side and wearing a tartan or checked shirt.

"The woman is described as having long dark hair and wearing a cream top.

"The suspect was not wearing the balaclava when he was waiting at the bus stop and I would appeal to anyone who noticed him sitting there, or anything at all suspicious, to please get in touch."