A SHOTGUN was fired during an aborted raid at a Prestwich post office this week.

No one was injured after the firearm was discharged by one of two raiders, who struck at the Danesway sub post office on Tuesday (Sept 18).

Now, detectives are hunting the duo who fled the scene in a stolen van.

They burst into the premises at 10.45am. One wielded a sledgehammer and the other brandished a single-barrel shotgun.

Detective Sergeant Duncan Heywood, of Bury Police, said: "The man with the sledgehammer threatened the 52-year-old cashier sub postmaster and smashed the security screen. The other man tried to kick down the security door."

He added: "The shotgun was then stuck under the security hatch and discharged. Thankfully, no one was hit."

The raiders fled empty-handed in a Ford Fiesta van, which had been stolen from Radcliffe on Saturday (Sept 18). It was later found abandoned in Parksway, Prestwich.

Police have now issued descriptions of the armed robbers and are seeking information to help with their inquiries.

The man carrying the sledgehammer is described as 5ft 8in, wearing a beige woollen hat and a scarf across his face with light, zip-up tracksuit bottoms.

His accomplice was 5ft 9in and wore a dark blue balaclava and dark clothing.

Staff at the post office declined to speak about the incident.

Anyone with information about the raid is asked to ring Whitefield CID on 0161 856 8240.