A WOMAN shop assistant was struck across the back with a baseball bat in a robbery at a wine merchant's shop last night.

The woman, who has not been named, was not badly injured but suffered bruising from the blow and was badly shaken by her ordeal.

The incident happened at 9.45pm when two men wearing baseball hats and dark scarves over their faces walked into Stephenson's wine merchants in Manchester Road, Nelson.

One man threatened the frightened woman with the bat and shouted threats and abuse before demanding money from the till. He hit her with the bat while his accomplice grabbed £120 from the till. They both ran out of the shop and off along Manchester Road towards the town centre.

There were no customers in the shop at the time and the other assistants were not harmed.

Detectives were back at the shop this morning interviewing staff.

No-one at the shop was available to comment on the attack.

The robbers are described as white, both around 5ft 6ins tall.

They were wearing baseball hats, dark scarves and dark bomber-type jackets.

Detective Inspector Clive Tattum, head of Pendle CID, said: "This was a dreadful attack which has left the woman assistant with bruises on her back. She is very shaken up.

"We want to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and who may have seen or heard anything suspicious or seen these men running off."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact DC Martin Jepp at Colne police station on Colne 863161.

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