ROBBERS hit a terrified shop customer across the head with a gun before stealing cash.

The two masked raiders burst into the Food and Drink 4U shop, in Green Street, Atherton, just after 9am on Saturday.

A shocked customer and a lone female staff member saw the raiders burst in.

The gunman hit the customer across the back of the head and dragged him on to the floor.

While he pinned the customer down, the other robber went behind the counter and began to fill a light-coloured duvet cover with tobacco and cigarettes.

The raiders also forced the staff member to open the till.

The two men fled and the member of staff activated the store alarm.

The customer followed the robbers out of the shop, but the gunman turned around and pointed the weapon directly at him.

The robbers ran off towards Lord Street.

Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward, and are particularly keen to hear from passersby who may have seen the robbers getting into a silver Ford Fiesta with a 58 plate which drove off towards Tyldesley Road.

Det Cons Kevin Telford, of Wigan CID, said: “Whoever the offenders are, they are clearly dangerous and have access to a firearm. The level of violence they displayed to hit a customer with a gun and threaten a woman working in an offlicence shows what sort of cowards we are looking for and I would appeal to anyone who can help us find these men to come forward.

"We already have a number of lines of inquiry we are pursuing and I would particularly like to appeal to anyone who saw these offenders getting into a silver Ford Fiesta with a 58 plate — which then drove off at high speed — to come forward.”

Telephone Wigan CID on 0161 856 7352 or the Crimestoppersto , anonymously, on 0800 555 111.