AN armed robber threatened a shop worker with a knife before fleeing empty-handed.

Staff locked themselves in a back room and sounded the alarm when they were approached by the man on Sunday night.

Police attended the Co-op food store, in Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, at around 9.20pm to reports of an armed robbery.

The shop was still open at the time and the man approached the counter and and threatened a member of staff and asked them to hand over money, police said.

They refused to do so and ran into a back room and locked the door where they then sounded the alarm from and the man fled from the shop.

Nothing was taken during the robbery and no members of staff were harmed.

A Co-op spokesman said: "We can confirm that an incident occurred at our Winter Hey Lane Co-op store on Sunday evening when an armed intruder entered the store. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the intruder left empty handed.

The Co-op takes retail crime very seriously and implements a wide range of measures to deter criminal activity and aid convictions. We appeal for anyone with information to come forward to the police.”

Police have released a description of the man who carried out the robbery.

He was white, aged between 17 and 20, of a slim build and between five foot six and five foot eight.

The had a scarf covering the bottom half of his face and his hood was up.

He spoke with a local accent and was wearing a grey and blue hooded top.

The shop was able to open as normal today after it had to close on Sunday night while police investigated.

Police are continuing to carry out inquiries into the incident and are appealing for anyone with information to get in touch on 101 and to quote log number 1970 of March 19.

It is the third attempted robbery in Horwich since the start of March.

On Thursday, March 1, a man armed with a knife entered the Bargain Booze, also on Winter Hey Lane, and demanded £500 from the till.

When a member of staff pressed the alarm and called to a colleague the man fled again empty handed.

On Friday, March 2, a robber attempted to raise New Lee's takeaway in Chorley New Road wielding what appeared to be a toy gun.

The man also did not manage to get away with any cash on this occasion after he was chased by the chippy's owner.