A GUNMAN who sparked a four-hour siege at a bank in Dartford is being hunted by police (Caroline Chick writes).

The stand-off took place at the Woolwich in the High Street on Thursday after a man burst into the branch brandishing a gun at about 4.30pm.

Distraught bank clerks ran for cover, five of them locking themselves in a secure room upstairs. Two others are believed to have been left downstairs with the gun man.

The town centre was sealed off by teams of officers as the drama unfolded. Armed police and dogs were called in as negotiators gathered information from the terrified members of staff trapped upstairs.

The first of the hostages fell to the floor as she was released into the hands of police at about 7pm.

Almost two hours later, at 8.50pm, 15 armoured officers stormed the building and led the second of the hostages to safety. The five members of staff upstairs were released 20 minutes later following a thorough search of the building.

The gunman, is tall and slim, had escaped without trace. It is not yet known if any money was taken.

KM-fm's Nadia Jean has more...