fast food restaurant.

It is believed the haul may be as large as $30,000, but the total was still being assessed last night.

The man, dressed in dark clothing, struck at the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Hamilton's Queen Street around 9 a.m., when only two staff, both male, were on duty.

A Police spokesman said one staff member was slightly hurt in the raid. But it understood the two men, who were not available for comment yesterday, are suffering mostly from shock.

The masked raider, who is believed to have been wearing socks over his hands, is thought to have entered the building from the rear, through the car park bordering Par-La-Ville Road.

He threatened two terrified male staff members, including the duty manager, with a handgun, forcing a counter assistant to lie on the floor and holding a gun to the manager's head.

The armed robber then forced the manager to open the safe in the restaurant office upstairs, which contained the weekend's takings.

He locked the two men in a service lift linked to the upper floor of the restaurant before leaving the building.

Hamilton Kentucky Fried Chicken boss Myra Fitzsimmons refused to comment on the raid yesterday.

The restaurant was closed until 1.30 p.m. as detectives interviewed staff and combed the restaurant for clues.

One woman customer said after it re-opened: "I come in here all the time. I can't believe somebody with a gun did something like this in the middle of Hamilton. It seems totally unreal.'' A Police spokesman said a team of detectives were investigating the incident.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area around the time of the robbery or who has any information which can help the Police should contact Detective Inspector Sinclair White of Hamilton CID on 299-4281.

Callers can also contact the special Crimestoppers phone line on 1-800-623-TIPS.