A 61-year-old male cashier was threatened by thugs during a robbery at a service station.

The thugs escaped with £60 from the till of the Shell service station in Bury Old Road, Prestwich.

Police said the victim had earlier locked the door of the shop so that customers would have to use a front hatch.

A Ford Granada car was driven on to the forecourt of the service station.The two occupants smashed a lower reinforced glass door panel, using a large spanner, before entering the premises.

They threatened the man before stealing the cash from the till and driving off. The incident happened at 10.45pm on Thursday (June 1).

Police said that the car had been stolen hours earlier from Chadderton.

And the occupants of the same car were seen attempting to steal a BMW vehicle from Heywood but fled after being disturbed.

A short time afterwards, the two men and two others were seen leaving the car park of a health club in Middleton in a Ford Granada and a Honda Civic car which had just been stolen.

Police say the Civic had been used in tandem with the Ford during the robbery later at the service station.

The Ford Granada was later found abandoned in Simister Green, Prestwich. It was removed and is undergoing forensic tests.

Anyone with information is asked to ring Whitefield CID on 856 8148.