A branch of the Ulster Bank has been robbed at gunpoint in County Down.

A man armed with a gun entered the bank in Upper Square in Castlewellen at about 10:50 BST on Tuesday.

He threatened staff at the branch before escaping with a cash box, which was found abandoned a short distance away.

Councillor Eamonn O'Neill said: "This was a vicious and reprehensible act, especially given the crisis that Ulster Bank customers have been facing."

The SDLP representative said it was "terrifying for all involved".

"The use of weapons is particularly worrying and will have made for an intensely frightening experience for any witnesses," he added.

Mr O'Neill claimed that some money had been stolen in the robbery but said the cash box was found abandoned close to the bank, with some cash still inside.

Police have appealed to witnesses and anyone who has information about the robbery to contact them.