A 22-year-old man is due to appear before magistrates today to face charges of attempted murder and robbery in connection with the Halifax armed raid in Newport.

A 55-year-old security guard was shot in the leg with a handgun and a substantial, as yet undisclosed, amount of cash was stolen during the robbery in the city centre on the morning of Monday, April 11.

The man, from Birmingham, was arrested on Monday afternoon. He is due to appear before magistrates in Newport this morning.

It is now more than a month since a masked gang struck in the streets of Newport's main shopping district on a quiet Monday morning.

Gwent Police launched a major manhunt after the raiders made off in a black Mitsubishi Evolution VIII car.

The officer leading the hunt for the Halifax raiders, Detective Superintendent, Geoff Ronayne, said yesterday: "We are in constant discussion with other forces and are following numerous lines of enquiries and anticipate further arrests."

A 27-year-old Birmingham man was charged earlier this month with conspiracy to commit robbery in connection the Newport raid.

He was remanded in custody after appearing before Newport magistrates' court.

Two women were also arrested in connection with the robbery. A 53-year-old Newport woman was released on bail pending further enquiries and a 23-year-old Loughborough woman was released without charge.