A SHOPKEEPER has described the terrifying moment an armed robber jumped over his counter and demanded money from the till.

Abrar Hussain, aged 50, was working at the family's newsagent in Moss Bank Way, Johnson Fold, at 8am on Thursday, when a masked man came in brandishing a knife and demanding money.

The robber jumped over the counter and Mr Hussain frantically opened the till, allowing him to grab the cash.

He ran off, leaving the shopkeeper badly shaken.

It is the second time the family business has been targeted in the last three months.

Mr Hussain, of Great Lever, said: "I had opened the shop as usual at around 6.30am. I was on my own when a young man walked in.

"He was wearing a balaclava and was holding a knife.

"He kept shouting 'Give me the money, give me the money'. At first, I couldn't understand what was going on.

"Before I knew it, he had jumped over the counter and I opened the till for him.

"He grabbed the money and ran off. It is the second time we have been robbed but the shop is back open."

There were no customers in the shop at the time.

The robber ran off into the Johnson Fold estate.

Police are appealing for witnesses and officers have been carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area.

Det Sgt John Fellowes, of Bolton CID, said: "The shopkeeper was not injured but he was shaken.

"Although no specific threats were made, the robber was waving the knife around."

The newsagents is also home to the local post office which was robbed in December by two masked men armed with a gun.

The raiders struck as a cash delivery was being made and threatened two teenagers who were working in the shop.

Vikas Hussain, aged 17, and his 19-year-old sister Fozia had a handgun pointed at them by one of the men, as the other tried to smash a security screen with a metal bar.

Their brother, postmaster Munna Hussain, who was behind the screen at the time, feared for their safety and handed over a bag of cash.

The raiders are believed to have escaped with £50,000.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Bolton CID on 0161 856 5740.