ARMED robbers made sure terrified social club staff were comfortable before locking them in toilets and stealing the weekend's takings.

They gave stools and a duvet to Paddy's managers Michael and Donna Qualter during the early morning raid on the popular social club in Tyldesley Road, Hindsford.

The Qualters were put through an hour's ordeal while two armed men raided their club, emptying the safe of 'a substantial amount of money', while the couple's teenage daughters slept through it all.

The raiders entered the premises at 5am on Monday morning, climbing through a landing window in the living quarters.

Donna told the Journal she was awake in bed and heard whispering outside the bedroom door, then the men, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas and gloves, burst

into the room and pounced on Michael, putting a gun to his head.

"I was asleep and my instant reaction was to have a go, so I tried to kick them off me," Michael explained. "Then I felt the gun against my head and panicked."

The couple, who have managed bars for eight years and have never experienced a break-in, were told they wouldn't be hurt if they handed over the money.

"We calmed down a bit and stopped struggling when we realised they probably wouldn't hurt us, but when you are so involved it's very scary," Michael said. "You never know what they might do."

One of the men dragged Donna from the bed, forcing her to take him downstairs to open the safe. The other man proceeded to dress Michael in a pair of trousers and slippers.

"I had nothing on, so he got me some trousers, saying 'it's nothing personal mate'."

The couple were then pushed face down on the bed and their hands tied behind their backs with cable wire. The men then took pillow cases and went to empty the safe.

"It was a very disorganised operation, they were constantly whispering -- planning as they went along. They obviously didn't know the place at all and wanted to know where every door went, so they could get out." Donna said.

When the job was completed the robbers guided the couple downstairs and locked them in the dark in the pub toilets.

But not before passing them two bar stools and the duvet from their bed upstairs!

"They were strangely considerate like that, they brought the stools in and asked if they were okay for us," Donna exclaimed. "Then when they brought the duvet to keep us warm I thought it was a joke."

The pair were locked in for about 10 minutes, before Michael freed their wrists and kicked down a partition wall to get out.

"We had to wait until the coast was clear, but we were worried about our two teenage daughters upstairs asleep," Michael explained. "I think I caused more damage kicking down the wall than they did robbing us."

Club security measures are now being upgraded and locks are being changed on the family cars because the robbers stole its keys.

The men are described as white, one 5ft 8in and of stocky build, the other is 5ft 6in and very slim. Both had strong Liverpool accents.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Leigh CID on 0161 856 7255.