A PAIR of brothers who carried out terrifying knifepoint raids on two Bolton shops have been jailed.

Daniel Reade, on bail at the time on suspicion of biting a chunk out of a man's ear, and brother Adam, attempted to rob four stores in one evening on July 15 last year.

They tried to rob stores in Atherton, Wigan and two in Bolton as they went on the rampage on the summer's evening, but left all empty-handed, bar a couple of mobile phones taken from staff.

They struck at Premier Stores in Hindley Road, Westhoughton, with Daniel demanding cash from the assistant while armed with a knife and with a top pulled up over his face.

The assistant squatted down and pressed an alarm, prompting Daniel to flee.

Within an hour, at 7.30pm, the pair went into Bargain Booze in Halliwell Road and Daniel tried to open the till while ordering "give me the money" to staff.

He and Adam, who was holding the door open, again left empty-handed.

Just half an hour before the raid in Westhougton, the pair had tried to rob Premier News in Atherton Road, Wigan.

At 8.45pm, they carried out the most violent robbery at Premier Express in Bag Lane, Atherton.

CCTV footage of the incident was played to Liverpool Crown Court at the hearing on Tuesday, in which the shop staff, brothers Wajid Ali and Mohammed Qasim, bravely tackled them, using a fridge shelf and a cricket bat.

Mr Qasim grabbed one in a bear hug and suffered a cut to his hand and the brothers fled to a nearby car, which was being driven by a vulnerable man they had persuaded to help them, before being arrested by police shortly afterwards.

Exactly a year earlier, on July 15, 2012, Daniel had carried out a "sickening" attack on Steven Shovelton in Leigh town centre, and bit part of his ear off.

The court heard that in a taxi leaving the scene, Daniel waved the piece around and held it up, pretending to listen to it.

Mr Shovelton has been left permanently disfigured.

Judge Stephen Everett said: "You treated this particularly awful offence with some sort of exultant approach. You in drink delighted in what you did, you boasted about it.

"It is difficult to understand what must have been going through somebody's mind to behave in such a disgusting and sickening way."

Daniel and Adam, aged 24 and 22 both of Bond Street, Leigh, both admitted conspiracy to rob, with Daniel also pleading guilty to wounding with intent.

Daniel will be imprisoned for 11 years, and serve a further five on licence, while Adam was jailed for five years.