A 58-YEAR-old shopkeeper was threatened by a man with a handgun who stole £65 from his off licence in one of two armed robberies in Rawtenstall last night.

The shopkeeper was in his off licence on Burnley Road at 10pm when a man came into the premises and pointed what police said appeared to be a handgun and ordered the man to open his till.

The shopkeeper complied and the man stole money from the till and while the till was open made further threats to the shopkeeper before leaving the scene on a mountain bike.

The man is described as white, with black hair, aged 22 to 23, 5ft 10ins, medium build, with big eyes and rough hands. Witnesses said they saw a man wearing a green waterproof jacket, beige trousers and riding a mountain bike.

In the second incident, at Booze Buster on Bank Street, at 8.55pm an 18-year-old shop assistant was threatened.

A man entered the shop when no-one else was in and demanded money from the till. When she initially refused he produced a craft knife and threatened her and she unlocked the till and he stole £100 making further threats to her.

He was wearing a dark stocking mask which he discarded outside the shop. He is described as white, 5ft 8ins, medium build, with short light coloured hair, not blond, with a slim face, wearing a salmon coloured top and grey mid-charcoal waist-length jacket with a zip front and possibly boots.

DC Brian Pilkington said: "At that time of night there would have been people on Bank Street and Burnley Road is a busy main road and there are some pubs in that area. The man also left the scene on a mountain bike and many people might have seen that.

"The shopkeeper and assistant were shaken by the incidents but not injured.

"We are appealing for anyone in the area to contact the police is they saw anything on 01706 237442."