A SHOP worker has spoken of her ordeal after robbers smashed their way into a convenience store and threatened staff before fleeing with money, alcohol and cigarettes.

The two men used a street grid to break-in through a glass door before forcing staff to take them to the safe.

A staff member from McColl's, in the Hulton District Centre, Little Hulton, described the frightening raid.

The woman, who does not wish to be named, said: "They put the door through and came in. It was just the loudest bang and then they came in. They told us to take them to the safe.

"They didn't say a lot. They just kept saying, 'safe'. They led us through into the back, there was only two of us here.

"They were unarmed but it was still scary when they've got masks on. It is not the best thing when you have first got up."

The incident happened at about 6am on Tuesday, October 17, and both members of staff were shaken but uninjured in the incident.

Staff do not have access to the main safe but the robbers stole a smaller one where change and small amounts of cash are kept.

They made off in a dark-coloured BMW which was later recovered in Hilton Lane, Walkden.

The worker had pressed a panic button and the police arrived a minute after the thieves had left.

The member of staff added: "It only lasted three or four minutes. They just took whatever they wanted.

"They ripped all the shutters off where the cigarettes are. They took our charity boxes too. They were raising money for St George's University where they do research into cardiac arrest in young people.

"You shouldn't steal anything but especially when it is for charity and we all work hard for a living.

"They caused so much chaos. It was quite scary.

"The main thing was that the other member of staff was safe. As long as your staff are alright, that is the main thing. Everything else is replaceable but your lives are not."

Police have issued descriptions of what the two men were wearing.

One of the men was wearing a blue and green North Face jacket with dark tracksuit bottoms and grey trainers and the other was wearing a green jacket with a black scarf, dark blue trousers and blue and white trainers.

They both wore balaclavas to conceal their identity.

Detective Sergeant James Harris said: “This was a brazen attack in the early hours of the morning that has left the employees extremely shaken.

“Thankfully no-one was injured, but that doesn’t excuse the ordeal the victims were subjected to when they were in their place of work.

“I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time of the robbery that thinks they might have seen anything that could help our investigation to please get in touch.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident number 268 of 17/10/17 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.