Man jailed after robbing bank with a banana

A man who robbed a bank while holding a banana has been jailed for 14 months.

Laurence James Vonderdell, 50, from Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, threatened a cashier at a branch of Barclays while pointing the fruit, which he covered in a plastic bag.

Police said he shouted, “This is a stick-up, give me the cash,” and walked away with £1,100 in £20 notes.

• New traffic sign pictured with hedgehog made to save 'precious' small animal population

• Pakistan government accidentally adds cat filter to Facebook Live press conference

Vonderdell handed himself in at a nearby police station shortly afterwards. He was sentenced on Monday at Bournemouth Crown Court after admitting robbery and possessing an imitation firearm.

Detective Constable Andy Hale, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Even though the defendant handed himself in shortly after this incident and the cash was recovered, this must still have been a very distressing incident for the cashier involved.”