ARMED robbers threatened shop staff with a crowbar before fleeing with cigarettes and cash.

Five men wearing balaclavas, one armed with a crowbar, targeted McColl's in Newbrook Road, Over Hulton, on Sunday at 8.15pm as staff were serving customers.

They threatened the terrified staff behind the counter and demanded they hand over cigarettes and empty the tills into a bag they were carrying.

The group then demanded access to the safe, which they emptied, before escaping around the back of the shop.

Det Con Leanne Blake said: “This group of five masked men carrying a crowbar must have been a very intimidating sight for the people in the shop at the time.

“The men have terrified employees who were simply going about their job, taking their sense of security away from them.

“Given the time that this robbery took place, I’m urging anyone who saw the group of men, or who heard a disturbance in the area, to please contact police.”

A McColl’s spokesman said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and customers is of utmost importance. We are working closely with the relevant authorities in response to this incident.”

It is the second armed robbery in the town in three weeks.

Three men fled with £4,000 from the Co-op store in Chorley New Road, Horwich on October 31, as the store was closing for the day. One of the men was carrying a baton-type instrument

Anyone with information on Sunday’s armed robbery is asked to contact police on 0161 856 5757 or 101, quoting incident number 2126 of 12/11/17. This can also be done anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.