Staff at a cosmetic clinic say they are hoping to track down a “Botox bandit” who feigned illness before dashing off into the street without paying.

The woman, who they believe had booked under a fake name and address, attended the Wells Clinic at New Street in Ashford town centre.

She had booked an appointment to get Botox treatment and filler for her top lip, at a cost of more than £500.

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Dr Michael Sheill has run the clinic for the past 26 years, and says it is the first time someone has ran off without paying.

He said: “She seemed like a nice and genuine person, and wanted treatment so she could feel a bit better about herself.

“I was concerned because she looked like a young girl, so I told her that this would be expensive, but she assured me she could pay and pointed the cash in her handbag.

“Midway through the treatment she said she didn’t feel well.

"My staff went to get her a glass of water, the next thing I saw was her going out of the door.

"She still had her blood stained gown on, and an ice pack and anaesthetic cream on her face.

“She ran down the street, I was absolutely amazed. She had blood coming out of her face and ice packs because she hadn’t finished her treatment.

“Her lips would have been swollen because she didn’t finish the treatment or have the aftercare treatment. She would have been quite a sight, quite scary.”

She ran off past the First World War tank and threw the blood soaked gown and ice packs on the floor. By the time Dr Sheill had retrieved them she had disappeared.

It happened on March 21.

Dr Sheill added: “You could describe her as a Botox bandit. I’m shocked that someone who could appear to be so nice and personable could suddenly run off.

“I’ve heard about this sort of thing happening in London, I didn’t realise people were starting to do that here.

“She ran down the street, I was absolutely amazed... She had blood coming out of her face and ice packs because she hadn’t finished her treatment" - Dr Michael Sheill

“She obviously set out to con us. She gave us a false name, false address and false mobile phone number.

"It just shows how bad a judge of character you can be.”

Botox is a toxic chemical protein which is now widely used in cosmetic treatments around the world.

It was first used to treat facial muscle disorders, but plastic surgeons soon realised that it appeared to reduce the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles around the eyebrows in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 2002 the Food and Drug Administration in America approved the use of Botox in cosmetic treatments, allowing patients to remove the signs of wrinkles and appear more youthful.

The injections relax the muscles in the forehead or around the nose, and are effective for up to six months.