A GROUP of ram-raiders wielding weapons stole up to £20,000 in a "vicious and terrifying" attack on a Farnworth supermarket on Sunday.

They reversed a blue Vauxhall Signum estate at speed through a window of the Tesco superstore, in Long Causeway, at 5.45pm, shortly after it had closed.

The collision shattered a pane of glass beside the area that houses two cash machines.

Inspector Dave Henthorne, of Bolton South and Central Integrated Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "Three males got out of the vehicle that has been driven by a fourth male.

"They have entered the store brandishing weapons - it looks like from the CCTV it was a knife and a crowbar - and held the staff up while the staff are counting the cash from the tills.

"They are in the store for a very short time, 40 or 50 seconds.

"They ran in as quick as they could and they took the cash pods and cash bags, and put them into a gym-style holdall, threw the holdall in the boot and drove off.

"It really was traumatic for the staff - it was horrible.

"Everybody was shaken up but otherwise not injured."

The Signum, which bore false number plates beginning KV05, was almost immediately abandoned and torched in Buckley Lane opposite the store.

The vehicle was quickly discovered still on fire by police combing the area for the culprits and the burned out wreckage has been recovered for forensics tests.

Insp Henthorne said the Signum was stolen on Friday in Davyhulme, Trafford, while the owner had left the ignition running to de-ice the car.

The Bolton News:

The robbers were dressed in sportswear and balaclavas and police confirmed a five-figure sum was taken.

Staff estimated as much as £20,000 could have been stolen in the raid.

One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “There was about a dozen of us in the store after it had closed up on Sunday. Suddenly one of my colleagues came running into the back saying someone had driven through the store. I was totally confused.

“We ran down to the front of the store and I saw one guy jumping into this car with a bag, then they sped off. I think there were four of them.

“They smashed through the glass. One of them had a machete, and they had balaclavas. They were in and out in two minutes.

“The guys who were on the tills just stopped and put their hands up while they took the money. They were lucky not to get hurt.

“All of the tills were open so it's tough knowing how much they could have stolen. You don't expect this to happen in a big supermarket.

“They must have been watching us and knew what was going on.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Insp Henthorne said: "Certainly we know that the Signum would have been in the Manchester or Bolton area at the weekend. 

"It must have been parked up somewhere. Have you seen it?

"Secondly, somebody somewhere has made up these KV05 registration plates for these individuals.

"And there were other cars in Tesco car park at the time of the robbery which may have witnessed the incident, and the occupants may not have realised what was going on.

"There's one particular car parked up which has its lights on and its engine running.

"There's potentially other witnesses in the car park and may have seen this vehicle before or after."

A Tesco spokesman said: "The store is open to customers and we’re assisting the police with their enquiries."

CCTV from the store has been handed over to the police.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.