AN off-licence has been robbed for the third time in 30 days.

The Victoria Wine outlet in Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, just yards from the town's police station, was targeted again on Friday night (Jan 18) by armed raiders.

In the latest incident two men, both with Irish accents, stormed the shop at 9.15pm and threatened staff with a handgun and a knife.

Employees were forced into a rear storeroom before the robbers grabbed the contents of the till and a large quantity of other goods before fleeing.

No-one was injured during the raid. The two offenders are described only as white males wearing dark coloured clothing.

Two weeks earlier, on January 5, a 27-year-old woman was working alone in the Victoria Wine shop when a masked man entered the store at 8.30pm. He pulled out a knife and threatened the shop worker who was forced to open a till.

The robber grabbed a quantity of cash before running from the shop and escaping in a silver people carrier.

And on December 18, a man wielding a knife robbed the same shop when he walked into the store and threatened the assistant before making off with £185 in cash from the till.

Staff at the Ramsbottom shop refused to comment on the latest raid and no spokesman for the Victoria Wine head office was available.