TWO women shop assistants were threatened with a lump hammer during an armed raid on a Radcliffe grocery store.

The three robbers got away with cash and cigarettes from the Spar shop in Moss Shaw Way after an unsuccessful attempt to open the safe. None of the shop assistants was injured in the raid which happened at 9.50pm on Saturday.

Police say the women, who were alone together in the store, were confronted by a masked man dressed in black and carrying a lump hammer. He ordered them to open the safe. Two accomplices also entered the counter area and grabbed a quantity of cigarettes which were placed into a blue and yellow duvet cover.

As the safe could not be opened, the man brandishing the hammer demanded one of the assistants open the tills. After rifling the contents, the raiders ran off with the tobacco and an unknown amount of cash.

One of the trio is described as a white male, heavy build, 5ft 10ins, dressed all in black with a black balaclava with oblong eye slits and black, fingerless mittens. His two accomplices, one with a possible olive skin, were also dressed in black and had on balaclavas and gloves.

Anyone with information is asked to ring Bury police's robbery unit on 856 8093.