A CAR stolen from Greenmount was used by robbers in a violent raid on a Bolton post office.

The BMW disappeared on Thursday (May 9) but was then used on Friday morning during the raid in Farnworth.

A security guard was beaten and knocked unconscious by two armed men who entered the post office in Plodder Lane at 9am.

The postmaster was forced to hand over a quantity of cash before the raiders fled the shop.

The driver of the security van became aware of the robbery and attempted to ram the BMW car which was waiting outside the post office with another man on board.

The two raiders, who were armed with a knife and a monkey wrench, climbed into the BMW before it was driven away at speed. Shortly after the raid the car was found abandoned nearby.