A WEEK after two guards were tied up and beaten during a vicious armed robbery, detectives returned to the scene hoping for a breakthrough.

Police officers carried out door-to-door inquiries in Great Harwood and Clayton-le-Moors again yesterday as the hunt for the balaclava-clad gang continued.

Four men escaped with thousands of pounds after raiding the security van while it was in a loading bay at the Great Harwood Co-op supermarket.

It was full of cash from a morning of collections in the Greater Manchester area, .

The guards were beaten, tied up and had hoods put over their heads. They have been off work due to stress since the robbery on May 9 at around 1pm. One was bundled into a white Suzuki van and dumped in Charles Street, behind the GEC complex, in Clayton-le-Moors.

The other was freed by residents after being left in the security van and abandoned in Mercer Street.

Detective Inspector Jim Elston said several people had come forward with information since a witness appeal in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

But he added: "We have had no positive breakthroughs.

"We are viewing the Co-op's CCTV and that of businesses around the GEC complex.

"We have have had officers between the Co-op and Charles Street and on Switch Back Path and we are currently sifting through the information."