A POST Office has reopened after machete-wielding robbers slashed the owner in the leg and escaped.

Castlehill Post Office, in Tonge Moor Road, has been closed since Tuesday, when a pair of men in balaclavas raided the store.

Owner Kirit Patel suffered a slash to his leg during the incident and has been receiving treatment from doctors.

However, he has now recovered and is in a position to reopen the shop, which he has worked at for 30 years.

The Bolton News:

Castlehill Post Office on Tonge Moor Road.

Mr Patel said: "I was working on the open counter and I was busy doing something. I looked up and next thing I knew there was a gentleman there with a balaclava who just appeared from nowhere.

"He started saying, 'Where's the money?', I immediately crouched down behind the counter but he continued shouting.

"I pressed the panic button while I was down there and he tried to lift me up, which is when I saw he was holding a machete which he brought down on my leg.

"I didn't realise what had happened at the time but I managed to quickly get into the secure area with someone else, where we were safe.

"They rifled through some of the drawers and they took some things and then they left."

The two men were seen escaping from the Post Office with a bag of items they had stolen, and getting into a black four by four vehicle which was parked in a side street.

Police quickly arrived on the scene and officers have been investigating the robbery.

Mr Patel will be back behind the counter from today and the Post Office is completely open again.