A ROBBER was caught after his victim heard his distinctive mobile phone ringtone as she was being treated in hospital after her ordeal.

The gang that attacked Denise Sweeney also ended up in hospital after becoming involved in a fight following the robbery.

Yesterday at Bolton Crown Court, six men admitted their roles in a series of violent incidents across Bolton.

They included three men who attacked Miss Sweeney after surrounding her and boyfriend, Tony Smith, in Smethurst Lane, Farnworth, in April last year. She was dragged her along the ground and kicked in the face.

Safyan Hussain, aged 20, of Rudolph Street, Great Lever; Yasser Khan, aged 22, of Parkfield Road, Great Lever; and Anise Khan, aged 23, of Rigby Street, Great Lever, took £410 out of her bank account before getting into the fight.

Miss Sweeney was in the same hospital room for treatment when one of their phones rang and she recognised the ringtone.

The three yesterday admitted robbery.

The first of the six robberies took place on March 1, 2009, when four men armed with an axe stole a Toyota Yaris from Winsford Grove, Deane. Isfan Jahangir, aged 20, of Winton Grove, Ladybridge, was later caught driving the £8,500 car.

He admitted robbery.

On October 16, four men — one of whom was Umar Shezad, aged 20, of Venice Street, Bolton — took £1,769 from Ladbrokes in Rishton Lane, Great Lever, after threatening staff with an axe.

Shezad also admitted 12 other offences of burglary and attempted burglary.

Two weeks later, four men raided Bombay Jewellers in Derby Street, Daubhill.

As at Ladbrokes, Shezad convinced staff to open the door, before three others burst in armed with a hammer, axe and a sledgehammer.

They escaped with £10,000 worth of gold bangles.

Police later stopped Shezad in a car and found evidence to link him to the Ladbrokes case and to charge Jahingir and Yasser Khan, with robbery on the jewellers.

In June last year, Hussain took mobile phones from a 16-year-old boy in Great Moor Street and a 14- year-old boy in Great Lever.

The six will be sentenced on Friday.