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A STORE manager foiled knife-wielding robbers when they tried to raid her shop.

The two raiders covered their faces and burst into the One-Stop Convenience Store in Minerva Road, Farnworth, at around 7.30am on Monday.

One of them was carrying what appeared to be a large kitchen knife with a wooden handle.

The men burst in as store manager, Susan Walker, was in the back office completing paperwork and a lone shop assistant was stacking shelves in another part of the building.

When Mrs Walker, aged 47, from Bolton, saw the masked men she immediately slammed her office door, locking them out, and pressed a panic alarm to alert police.

The men went behind the counter but quickly fled empty-handed after realising the alarm had been triggered.

Mrs Walker said she panicked when she saw the armed men.

"I shut the office door as fast as I could. I thought they were going to rob the store," she said. "They did not say anything to me. I immediately pressed the panic alarm which contacts the police.

"It gave me a shock at first but I was all right afterwards. I have been here eight years and it's not the first time this has happened to me. I am one of those people who will just bounce back."

The 26-year-old shop assistant in the other part of the building had not realised what had happened.

Police are now examining CCTV footage of the bungled robbery.

The raider with the knife was white, 5ft 9ins tall, of medium build and was wearing a light green and light brown camouflage-style army jacket. His hood was up to conceal his hair and face.

He had a black woollen balaclava which covered the lower part of his face and nose, black gloves and dark trousers.

The second robber was also white but smaller than the first. He was of medium build, wearing a white woollen hat, dark green thick coat with a large pocket on the front, black gloves and dark trousers.

His face was also hidden up to his eyes by the collar of a thick jumper he was wearing under his coat.

PC Mike Jennings said: "Even though these men left empty-handed, this was still a frightening ordeal for the store manager to have to go through as she started her day's work.

"I would appeal to anybody who thinks they recognise these men, or who has any information at all about this incident, to get in touch with the police as soon as possible."

Anyone who recognises the men, or has information about the robbery, should call police on 0161 856 5824 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

9:24pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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