A MANHUNT is under way today for masked robbers who brought gun terror to Newport city centre.

Three men, two black and one white, who robbed a Securicor van in Commercial Street, shooting a guard in the thigh with a handgun, are still on the run.

And police were praising two members of the public - one have-a-go hero who tried to help the guard inside the Halifax, and another who gave him first aid outside.

The guard who was shot yesterday, a 55-year-old man understood to be from Gwent, was today in a stable condition.

Now the hunt is on for the men who Detective Superintendent Geoff Ronayne describes as "dangerous" and likely to strike again. He said the security guard could "easily have been killed".

Gwent Police are asking forces across the UK to help them catch the robbers. CCTV pictures were being scrutinised and forensic teams were examining a security deposit box found dumped at the city's Old Green roundabout.

Police were also asking anyone who had taken a photograph of the incident on their mobile phone to contact them. More than 30 officers are working on the investigation.

Full story follows