A CRIMEWATCH appeal by detectives hunting the Horwich armed bank robbery has given the investigation "new impetus".

The man leading the inquiry, Det Chief Insp Dave Law, said officers have been following up new leads from the TV plea.

More than 40 callers rang the BBC studio after watching a dramatic reconstruction on Thursday night, and gave police the names of 30 potential suspects.

Det Chief Insp Law said he believed the raid was part of a campaign by a ruthless gang who used shotguns and machetes to terrify staff at banks and shops across Wigan and Bolton in the months before they struck at Barclays in Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, on November 29.

The men dragged a bank worker to the ground by her hair while threatening her with a machete and fled with £200,000 before opening fire at unarmed police who chased them as they fled.

In a separate incident, they are believed to have hacked at a woman's arm, severing tendons, with a machete.

"We're already acting on information that was given to us as a direct result of that appeal," said Det Chief Insp Law.

"Names which have been given to us are of great interest and certainly give the investigation new impetus.

"We are looking at links to a number of other robberies using similar weapons across the Wigan and Bolton areas in the months leading up to this incident."

Anybody with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 5448 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.