A POSTMASTER and his family were kidnapped by raiders who burst into their Astley home last night.

The terrified family were tied up in their Lingards Lane home and then bundled into the family car by the three hooded men and forced to drive to the post office in Lewis Street, Patricroft.

Security at the post office meant the gang could not steal cash from the premises.

But a small amount of cash was taken from the family home.

The postmaster's wife, son and daughter, both in their 20s, were later found by a member of the public tied up in their red Pegueot people carrier on Higher Green Lane, Astley.

Police then discovered the postmaster walking from the area of Morley Hall Quarry, off the East Lancs Road, where he had been dumped.

Detectives are today hunting for the gang and are appealing for witnesses to contact them.

They want to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious on Lingards Lane from 6-9.15pm, Lewis Street from 7-9.15pm, Higher Green Lane 6-9.15pm, Morley Hall Quarry 6-9.15pm or saw the Peugeot 806 P663 FNE 6-9.15pm between Astley and Eccles.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.