A MAN has been charged after a police officer was stabbed as he responded to an armed robbery. 

The stabbing happened when police responded to reports of the incident at AM to PM stores in Gidlow Lane, in Wigan, at around 10pm on Sunday.

Within minutes, an officer was at the scene but a man fled in the direction of Birch Street.

The officer pursued him and a short struggle ensued, at which point the officer – a man in his 40s – was stabbed repeatedly to the point that the knife snapped. 

Fortunately, the officer was wearing body armour and only suffered minor injuries to his arm.

Stephen Unsworth, aged 35, of no fixed address has been charged with three counts of robbery, section 18 assault and possession of an offensive weapon. 

He will appear at Wigan Magistrates Court today.