Laurence James Vonderdell, 50, admitted offences of robbery and possessing an imitation firearm – a banana covered with an orange plastic bag.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard that he pointed the banana at the cashier in a Barclays bank and told her: “This is a stick up, give me the cash.”

The cashier handed over a total of £1,100 in £20 notes, which Vonderdell took and walked out of the store.

According to Dorset Police, he handed himself in at a nearby police station shortly afterwards.

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.”