BURGLARS smashed their way into a supermarket to steal cigarettes in the latest in a series of raids on stores in Bolton.

They targeted Morrisons in Bury Road, Breightmet, some time between Saturday night and Sunday morning although Greater Manchester Police have not released any details.

It is believed those responsible used hammers to break in, and although the store was shut at the time it is unclear whether overnight employees were present.

One source said: “They smashed through Iceland’s delivery gates, then smashed through an outside wall through to the bakery.

“They stole cigarettes and tried to break open self-scan machines but couldn’t.”

A Morrisons spokesman said: “We’re assisting police with their inquiries.”

The latest incident comes after a series of high-profile raids on supermarkets that detectives are investigating.

In May axe-wielding robbers stole cash, cigarettes and takings from the safe at the Co-operative supermarket in Chorley New Road, Horwich.

And a similar incident to Saturday’s happened at a branch of Morrisons in Lea Gate, Harwood, on October 6.

In that incident three men equipped with hammers left employees “shaken but not harmed” when they stole what is believed to be £6,000 at 1.30am.

The Yorkshire-based supermarket chain’s store in Ramsbottom was also targeted in a similar raid the day before.

On the last day of September three Loomis cash-in-transit drivers were injured when robbers wielding a crowbar and a sledgehammer held them up at Sainsbury’s in Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, and escaped with a substantial sum of money.

More recently armed robbers broke into Tesco Express in Manchester Road, Westhoughton, on November 4 at 9.20pm. One of them held a machete to a staff member’s head before the gang made off with £6,000.

Morrisons in Breightmet opened in 2011 was joined by the budget supermarket Aldi, Poundworld Plus and Iceland’s The Food Warehouse on the site of former Mecca Bingo hall earlier this year.