A MASKED gunman pointed a pistol at the head of waitress and pulled the trigger in a dramatic robbery at a prestigious Bolton restaurant.

Staff and customers cowered in terror after two men, wearing balaclavas, burst into the Yu and You Cantonese restaurant on St John's Street, Horwich, just after midnight.

The raiders ordered staff to open the safe before one of the men fired a pistol loaded with blanks at the waitress before firing into the air.

The pair fled with a large amount of cash and cheques, taken from the safe of the former Bolton Evening News award winning restaurant.

Just hours after the robbery police officers went to a house in Horwich. A man who was seen driving away from the premises was stopped by armed officers on the M61 and arrested.

Just after 4.30am today a police team raided the house - the location of which has not yet been revealed - under a warrant issued under the Firearms Act and a second man was arrested. Det Chief Insp Dave Law, of Astley Bridge police station, said: "Two men have been arrested on suspicion of robbery. They are now in custody and will be interviewed later today." It is understood the waitress who was targeted by the gunman was not injured and the gun used is thought to have been a blank firing weapon.

Police chiefs confirmed two men had now been arrested in connection with the raid.

Shopkeepers and residents in Winter Hey Lane were shocked to hear about the robbery this morning.

Ian McElroy, a milkman, was driving around Horwich at 2am today, when he noticed Winter Hey Lane had been taped off by police.

He said: "I had no idea what had happened. I thought there had been an accident."