Police are investigating a reported armed robbery at a bank in Fife.

Officers were called to the Bank of Scotland on the Mitchelston Industrial Estate in Kirkcaldy at 1.30pm.

Nobody has been injured but the area around the bank has been cordoned off.

People in nearby buildings, including schools and shops, were initially kept inside as a precaution but were later told they were free to leave.

Early inquiries into the incident are ongoing.

Superintendent Derek McEwan said: "This is an unusual incident for Kirkcaldy and a large number of officers are currently working to ensure the area is safe, speak to those who have witnessed this robbery and return the area to normal as quickly as possible.

"Our priority was to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all members of the public in the vicinity of this incident. A number of items were found and to ensure their safe removal, specialists from the military Explosive Ordnance Device Unit attended and examined them. These items are in the process of being removed but did not pose a risk to the public.

"A decision was also made to prevent the public from leaving nearby shop premises and schools for a short period of time, however this was done to ensure their safety. There were no threats directed at these premises or the public within, and this was merely a precaution until we could satisfy ourselves the area was safe.

"Officers will be in the area into the evening to provide further reassurance whilst continuing to investigate this incident."

Police had asked staff at St Andrew's RC High School, Kirkcaldy High School and St Marie's RC Primary to delay pupils leaving at the end of the school day while they investigated the incident.

But a spokeswoman for Fife Council confirmed pupils were able to leave "with very little delay".