AN off-duty security guard who called in to his former employers to wish his replacement "good luck" ended up helping to foil an armed robbery.

Lawrence Huller, who lives in Prestwich, was outside the Poundstretcher store in Cheetham Hill at 9am last Friday (Nov 30) intending to shake hands with the new security guard who had started work that day.

But he was forced to leap into action when three masked men stormed into the store in Bury New Road, brandishing a gun and demanding money.

Thirty-year-old Lawrence saw the gang and alerted passers-by that the men were armed. After asking workers in a neighbouring shop to contact the police he went back into Poundstretcher and activated the panic alarm.

The gang grabbed hold of the new guard on duty and held the gun to his head before making off with a large holdall full of cash. Another security guard gave chase, however, and the robbers dropped their haul.

Lawrence, who had started his new job as security manager in another store the day before, said: "I only called in to the shop to wish the new guard good luck and shake his hand. I was in a suit on my way into work and the next thing I saw was three masked men going into Poundstretcher." Lawrence said as the robbers left the shop one of them pointed the gun, said to be a pistol, at him before running off.

He said: "I knew it was a real gun and they actually fired a shot at the police. I watched where they ran to and found the bag with the money in.

"People have been thanking me but I was as white as a sheet afterwards. I was terrified, and still am really. I keep going over it in my head thinking I could have done more to help."

Despite being shaken, Lawrence went straight into work after the incident but he said the new guard would not be returning. He added: "I can't let people like that stop me from doing my job, I love it."

Fellow security guard John O'Shaughnessy was working in a nearby shop when he got a radio message saying an armed robbery was in progress.

He said: "I chased them onto a housing estate and came face to face with one of them after we had both jumped over a fence. He pointed the gun straight at me and then ran off. A few moments later I heard two shots fired at the police."

Police confirmed that officers were shot at by the gang but no one was injured. They appealed for anyone with information to contact CID on 856 3940.