THIEVES broke into a Bolton dry cleaning business while the owner was duped by a man pretending to have a fit, it has been claimed.

The incident happened as manager Lesley Jones gave first aid to a man who had collapsed on the floor in Johnson's in Manchester Road.

As she and a colleague called for an ambulance, someone else forced open the back door, stealing Christmas gift vouchers, car keys and irreplaceable family photos.

Police are now investigating the theft, which happened on Tuesday afternoon, and they say they are speaking to the ambulance service about it and examining CCTV footage.

Mrs Jones said the man who was taken ill had been in the shop about ten minutes earlier, and asked how much it was to wash "pants", as well as asking how many people were working at the time.

A short while later, after she had refused to speak with him and he had been ordered to leave, Mrs Jones' colleague, the only other employee present at the time, ran in to tell her the same man had collapsed and was having a fit.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said the man was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital after he was "taken ill".

The car keys for Mrs Jones' Mini, which cost £900 to replace, and Christmas gift vouchers worth £250 were stolen.

In her colleague's handbag, which was also taken, was her mobile phone, some expensive make-up and pictures of her young children.

Mrs Jones, who lives in Vigo Avenue, Daubhill, said: "It knocked me sick as I had been holding his hand, saying everything would be all right and that the ambulance would be here soon.

"When I found out we'd been burgled I felt sick.

"It is a disgrace, as a paramedic car and ambulance came out, and it might have been a waste of time."

She added that when the man had come in the first time, he had asked to speak to her, before her colleague had asked him to leave.

When he was later found collapsed, she then left the back of the shop to administer first aid and put him in the recovery position.

Mrs Jones added: "I think he had tried to get me to the front of the shop, and when he failed, they decided to do this."

A police spokesman: "Police enquiries are ongoing and the investigation is at an early stage.

"We are analysing CCTV footage and conducting enquiries with the ambulance service."

The NWAS spokesman added: "We got the call on Tuesday afternoon at 3.53pm and arrived at 3.56pm.

"At the scene was a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance.

"The ambulance took a male patient, who had been taken ill, to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

"Police have since contacted the control centre to discuss this."

Anyone with information can call police on 0161 8565619.