ARMED robbers wearing Halloween-style masks threatened staff at a Leigh takeaway with knives and a stun gun.

The robbery is one of three believed to have been staged by the same gang over the last two weeks.

All the robberies have been carried out at businesses on the A580 corridor in the Lowton, Astley and Boothstown areas.

The robbery at the McDonald's at Stone Cross Park, alongside the A580 at Lowton, happened at 7.30pm on Tuesday when raiders confronted staff and stole a large haul of cash.

Two wore Halloween style masks and a third had a black scarf covering the lower half of his face.

The previous day two men armed with a machete and a crowbar drove on to the Queen's Service Station at the junction of the A580 and Mosley Common Road junction at Boothstown.

They entered the shop, threatened staff and stole money from the till before making their getaway in a white van along Mosley Common Road towards Walkden or Little Hulton.

During the previous week the Shell service station on the East Lancashire Road at Astley was raided by two armed men wearing balaclavas.

Sgt Dave Waddicar, operational unit co-ordinator at Leigh police station, urged anyone with information to get in touch.

He said: "If people have any information at all about the identities of these people or vehicle details they should call us.

"If people notice vehicles parked suspiciously they should contact the police."

Any one with information is asked to call: 0161 856 7352.