ROBBERS have escaped with around £80,000 in cash from Pilsworth's Asda store.

A security guard was struck across the head with a sawn-off shotgun when the gang of four masked men swooped on a Post Office security van outside picking up cash from the supermarket at 2pm on Monday afternoon (Feb 16).

Stunned shoppers could only watch in horror as the armed raiders stopped the security guard and attacked him with the butt of the shotgun before forcing his colleague to hand over a cashbox.

Mr Ed Watson, a spokesman for Asda, refused to confirm how much money had been stolen in the robbery and stressed that no Asda staff or shoppers were injured.

He said: "The Post Office collected the money from the cash office security window and had put it in the back of the van when three men jumped out of a white van and confronted a female member of staff in the office. She hit the alarm button.

"Unfortunately, the security guard did not manage to get back into his van and he was attacked and threatened. His colleague was forced to hand over a cash box to the robbers."

The guard was treated for minor injuries by paramedics and taken to Fairfield General Hospital but allowed home soon after. Anyone who has any information contact Whitefield CID on 0161 856 8248 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.