A podologist came to the aid of a distressed cashier who was injured in a hold-up at the Lotto booth in Birkirkara on Tuesday.

The health professional calmed down the victim and treated the “deep cut” she suffered on her finger.

The robbery took place at around 3.30pm on Triq Dun Karm, most commonly known as Birkirkara Bypass.

Police said that a masked robber armed with a knife, put his hand through the window to grab cash from the cashier - a 57-year-old woman. She was injured during the altercation.

A podologist who works at Amrita Footcare and Wellness Centre - located around the corner from the Lotto booth at Giovanni Papaffy Road – told Times of Malta she spotted a panicked woman in front of the booth as she was walking towards the clinic.

“I didn’t do anything special. I saw someone who needed help, and I did what I could,” the podologist, who wanted to remain anonymous, said.

As the podologist approached the woman she noticed that the woman - who was clearly in shock - was bleeding from her hand.

She eventually told the podologist about the  “hold-up” and that someone had approached her with a “sharp ruler”.

“It was obviously not a ruler - the cut was too deep. She was in shock,” the podologist said.

When it started to drizzle, the podologist accompanied the cashier to the clinic around the corner where she could see to her wound while she waited for the ambulance.

With the help of a doctor, the podologist cleaned the wound and bandaged the woman's finger. The cut was too deep for butterfly stitches. 

Other pedestrians - who did not witness the hold-up - told Times of Malta some eight police officers showed up on the site of the robbery.

The Birkirkara hold-up was followed by a similar one in Burmarrad at around 6pm. The cashier at the Burmarrad lotto booth, who was uninjured, said the suspect was also carrying a knife.

The police could not confirm whether the same person robbed both booths.

It said investigations were ongoing as the suspect/s were still at large.