MASKED raiders have stolen cash and attacked a landlady in raids at a pub and an off-licence.

The landlady of The Queen's pub in Tyldesley was left with a bruised face, black eye and suffering from shock after two men wearing balaclavas forced their way in while she was in the back yard.

Trina Mawson was bringing in the bins at the Elliott Street pub when the men suddenly appeared and forced her back inside the building, where they banged her head against a wooden partition before demanding money.

They escaped with five-days' takings at 8.30am on Monday.

The 52-year-old landlady, who has run the pub without any problems over the past 13 months, was traumatised by her ordeal, but vowed to carry on working behind the bar as normal, taking just one day off to recover.

The mother-of-four, who has five grandchildren, tried to convince the attackers there was no money at the pub, but after banging her head, they pushed past her and grabbed the takings - still in plastic money bags and ready to be banked - from the top of the bar.

She spent the rest of the day resting under the watchful eye of her husband, Peter, while staff held the fort with help from the team at The Queen's sister pub in Tyldesley, called Bar 110.

But Mrs Mawson opened the pub alone the following day and was looking forward to seeing her regulars to get over the shock.

She remains nervy and said her German Shepherd, Sabre, would remain at her side until she felt more confident.

"It's such a shame Sabre wasn't with me downstairs when the men broke in because I know he would have protected me and bit them.

"He was racing around afterwards when he knew something had happened to me.

"I've been brought up in pubs as both my parents and grandparents were in the pub game and I wouldn't know what else to do with my time, so I certainly won't be retiring even if my husband wants me to," she said.

Mrs Mawson said she had been mugged while on her way to a bank in Wigan, again with pub takings.

She said: "They got away with all my takings then and it's just something I've blanked from my mind. But I won't be put off Tyldesley because it's a great place."

The attack at The Queen's came only two days after masked raiders burst into an off-licence and grocers in Oak Street, Leigh, and stole hundreds of pounds from the till.

A female cashier was forced to hand over the money after two men threatened her with an unknown weapon at 8.20pm on Saturday.

The owner, Ray Woodcock, who has run the business for 11 years, said: "The mood is very sombre.

"We will have to install more security measures.

"This is the first time we've ever had trouble here."

The raiders at the pub were described as white, wearing dark clothing and 5ft 10in -6ft tall.

Both men who struck at the off-licence were described as white and aged 20-30.

One of them had short, dark, cropped hair and was wearing a skin-coloured balaclava.

The second raider also had short, dark hair and was wearing light brown trousers and a dark blue T-shirt.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Leigh CID on 0161 856-7352.