Family in robbery action - again

For when he demanded money after threatening to shoot Mandy Calland, 32, he didn't reckon on the sudden appearance of Mandy's dad Doug, 64, carrying a two-foot long stick.

The stand-off which followed saw the would-be thief lose his nerve and flee, and he little realised what a narrow escape he had - for at that moment an ambulance crew were in the rear of the Railway Road, Leigh, shop carrying Mandy's mum Jean downstairs after dislocating her knee.

Cool Mandy said: "This was like a scene from a comedy. An ambulance was parked outside because I'd dialled 999 for my mum to get help and the crew were actually helping her when this scruffy looking character came in the shop and told me to give him the money out of the till or he'd shoot me.

"At that moment my dad came out behind me carrying this two-foot long stick and told him to get out - or else, and the man took to his heels as I dialled 999 a second time on my mobile phone."

The man has been described as in his mid-20s, five feet 10 inches tall, very thin and scruffy, with light brown hair.

Mandy also described his as "off his head as if he had been taking drugs".

It is the second time in 12 months that the Calland family had seen off thieves. In an incident last year, Mrs Calland, later nicknamed 'Supergran' copied a scene from the film 'Crocodile Dundee' when she was confronted by a thief wielding a knife. For by coincidence she was carrying a kitchen knife of her own which she produced from behind her and said "This is a bigger knife than yours!" and the thief made off.

Mandy added: "It all happened so quickly on Saturday night and we were all more concerned about my mum at the time, but it could have been far more serious and we are all just grateful it turned out as it did."

Anyone with information on the attempted robbery should ring Leigh Police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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