A NEWSAGENT has spoken of her terror after two masked men wielding a knife burst into the shop.

Ann Crook, who runs Edge Green News in Golborne with her husband Stanley, froze with fear when one of the thugs walked towards her with the knife while the other one locked the door of the shop. But only seconds later brave neighbour Paul Stringer came to Mrs Crook's rescue, kicked his way through the door of the Edge Green Lane shop and took on the masked men.

Mrs Crook, 48, said: "I was frozen to the spot and just didn't know what to do and then all of a sudden the door burst open and Paul was there.

"One of the men ran away and Paul grabbed the one with the knife and they were struggling outside. Paul let him go and came to help me. He then ran after the man, but couldn't catch him. I owe that lad everything. People run away from situations like that, but Paul had seen them acting suspiciously and came to my rescue."

Mum-of-two Mrs Crook confronted a raider in the shop three years ago and chased him away with a pair of scissors. Mrs Crook says she was unable to eat or sleep for three days after the raid.

The raiders, both in their 20s, escaped in a Nissan Micra in the direction of Ashton. One was 5ft 9in, thin build and was wearing light pants and a beige sweatshirt with a blue baseball cap.

Anyone with information about the raid which happened at 5.50pm on Friday March 30 is urged to call Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.