AXE wielding masked raiders launched a dawn raid on a town centre shop.

Eyewitness James Mayes saw the two thieves after they had broken their way into Boots in Halstead High Street yesterday.

Mr Mayes was walking to work with his father, Walter, at about 5.16am when he saw the robbery.

He said: “When me and my dad went passed WH Smith we saw two people with a bag between them.

“They ran for one of the alleyways beside the store and as we went closer to Boots we saw the front doors wide open with smoke inside.

“When my dad went closer there was cosmetics all over the floor and the glass cabinet was smashed.”

Walter raised the alarm dialling 999 for the police.

A spokesman from Essex Police said police were called following reports of the two men fleeing the scene as well as further reports of two men seen getting into a white flatbed van in the car park.

One man was described by witnesses as wearing a high visibility jacket, black trousers and was carrying what was believed to be an axe.

A second man was described as wearing a white mask and a black tracksuit with a hooded top, grey hooded undercoat, black and white Nike trainers and was carrying a spade.

Halstead councillor Jacqueline Pell raised concerns following the break-in.

She said: “It’s distressing and people feel unsafe. “To break into a chemist, it makes you wonder what were they after.

“If they were after medication, it’s frightening, it’s not something you toy with. If they were after perfumes and razors, either way it’s not necessary.

“Even if there was more police on the streets this happened in the early hours of the morning so police wouldn’t be sat waiting for it.”

Boots opened for business as usual yesterday although the automatic door was not functioning.

Inside, the perfume cabinet was smashed and part of the shop cornered off.

Anyone who has further information about the raid is asked to contact PC Sarah Jeans at Braintree Local Policing team on 101, quoting reference 108 of January 15.