Robbers armed with a knife entered an off licence and threatened staff before making off with almost £1000 worth of cigarettes.

At around 7pm on Sunday evening, two men entered the Bargain Booze store on Whalley Road, Accrington, and threatened a 21-year-old member of staff with a knife while demanding she hand over the store's cigarette stock.

Manager of the store, Julie Pettet, said: "The lady who was working said that two men, who were both Asian, had come into the store.

"One had threatened her with a knife while the other went back out to wait in the car.

"She managed to lock herself in the back while they stole all the cigarettes. Luckily she wasn't hurt but she's been pretty shaken up by the whole incident.

"There were a few people around at the time who might have witnessed it, and she was able to call the police who came quite quickly."

Mrs Pettet said it's not the first time the store has been targeted and she believes that other shops in the town have also experienced similar attacks.

She said: "I've been checking the stock this morning and it doesn't look like there was anything other than cigarettes taken. We've estimated they stole at least £800 worth of cigarettes.

"It's not the first time something like this has happened. Plenty of stores in Accrington town centre have been targeted for the same thing and each time it's been two men who have done it."

A spokesperson for the police said: "We were called at 7.08 on Sunday night to reports of a robbery at Bargain Booze on Whalley Road in Accrington.

"It was reported that two unknown men had entered the store and the female shop worker was threatened with a knife.

"The men left with a quantity of cigarettes."

Anyone who witnessed the robbery or who can assist the police with their enquiries should call 101 quoting log number 1208 of January 27.