MASKED raiders stole two cars and drove at a police car in a bid to escape capture after a supermarket raid.

The raiders were spotted driving away from a Co-op store in Hindley after they had ransacked a cigarette kiosk and stole almost £4,000-worth of cigarettes.

Three of the four thieves escaped but police cornered Stephen Unsworth hiding in a hedge and found a packet of cigarettes on him that matched those taken. The other raiders had been carrying carrier bags and police later recovered these, all containing cartons of cigarettes.

Unsworth, aged 27, of Kirkhall Lane, Leigh, appeared for sentence at Bolton Crown Court this week and was jailed for two years for burglary and the aggravated taking of a vehicle. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Jamie Hamilton, prosecuting, said an alarm was activated at the store on January 28. Police arrived and spotted four men in balaclavas driving away a stolen Rover at high speed.

They gave chase and the car sped off at 70mph, jumping red lights.

The car was later abandoned and a Montego stolen and again driven at speeds of up to 70mph in 30mph zones.

Police caught up with the car and it suddenly spun around at speed and headed straight for the pursuing police vehicle, forcing the driver to take evasive action.

The car sped off again with the lights turned off before skidding to a halt.

All four men ran off in different directions.

Police concentrated their chase on Unsworth, who was wearing a distinctive jacket. A police dog handler later found him hiding in a hedge.

Nicky Gatto, defending, said Unsworth wanted to be sentenced straight away without the benefit of a pre-sentence report.

He said the family had been going through hard times and had very little money. He took advantage of the opportunity to break into the store.

Unsworth had suffered psychiatric problems and had an accident that had affected his mobility and he had been unable to get a job. He accepted what he had done was wrong and knew that he would go to jail.