TWO Great Harwood men who took part in an armed robbery of a shop targeting a terrified lone female shop assistant have been jailed for a total of 10 years.

Preston Crown Court was told that shop assistant Lorraine Hargreaves feared her time was up and that she would never see her family again.

Francesco Ligreci, 37, of Lime Street, who acted as look-out, and Marc Maitland, 25, of Cattle Street, both pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Ligreci was jailed for a total of four and a half years. Maitland, who brandished the gun and wore a balaclava was jailed for a total of five and a half years. Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Blake said: "Mrs Hargreaves worked alone. Such shops up and down the country deserve and will get protection of the courts."

June Morris, prosecuting, told the court Mrs Hargreaves worked at the Premier Store in Great Harwood which was a grocery and off-licence and on Wednesday August 18 she was alone in the shop.

Both defendants were known to her.

"A man wearing a balaclava entered the store brandishing a gun and pointed it directly at her. He instructed her to give him the money," said Miss Morris. Mrs Hargreaves recognised his Irish accent despite Maitland concealing his face, she said.

Still threatening her with the gun, Maitland left with £400 telling her to lie on the floor and stay there for five minutes.

She felt if she had moved she would have been shot. Maitland and Ligreci split the money.

In a statement, Mrs Hargreaves described how the robbery had had a profound impact on her. She had felt instant terror and feared she would never see her husband and daughter again.

Paul Lawton, defending Maitland, said he was deeply sorry. Dennis Watson, defending Ligreci, said Ligreci described feeling guilty and ashamed and wished to apologise to Mrs Hargreaves.