Robbers armed with knife and metal bar target newsagents

Shortly after 9pm on Tuesday (June 7), two men, one armed with a kitchen knife and one with a metal bar, entered the McColls newsagent on Car Bank Street in Atherton and shouted at a shop-worker to open the tills.

The man with the knife threatened a second woman working there and the man carrying the metal bar started to bang the till on the counter, until the first woman opened the tills.

The pair fled with cash and left in a red car in the direction of Bolton Road.

The man carrying the knife is described as white, of slim build, about 5ft 8in tall, and was wearing a face-covering, dark gloves and a face-covering.

The man carrying the metal bar is described as white, of slim build, about 5ft 8in tall and he was wearing a face-covering, dark hooded jacket, blue tracksuit pants and trainers and black gloves. He was carrying a rucksack.

Detective Constable Amelia Trimble of GMP’s Wigan borough said: “Such violence is simply not acceptable and I would like to appeal to the public for their help to catch these men.

“If you saw this robbery take place or saw the men fleeing in the red car in the nearby area then please contact police.”

Anybody with information should contact police on 0161 856 7292 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.