ROBBERS carried out two separate armed raids in Haslingden town centre within the space of 30 minutes.

Police said terrified staff at Lloyds TSB in Deardengate were robbed by two men wielding a gun and a crowbar -- and three masked men threatened to kill two shop assistants at Bargain Booze in Manchester Road.

Today, a 19-year-old shop assistant from Bacup, who does not want to be named for fear of reprisals, told of the terrifying moment the raiders struck at the off-licence, causing her to faint.

And police revealed they were working with Greater Manchester Police to trace the bank robbers, who struck in an unconnected attack just minutes earlier, at 6pm on Friday.

They are believed to have got away in a silver Peugeot, driven by a third man, which was stolen from Manchester in September.

The car, which had false number plates, was found burned out in Charles Lane shortly after the raid.

The Bargain Booze worker said the raiders threatened to kill her and a colleague with an eight-inch kitchen knife before stealing cigarettes and her mobile phone

She said: We thought it was a customer and suddenly my colleague shouted 'move it, they have a knife,' because I'd come out behind him.

"They followed us into the back room and we ran into the kitchen. My colleague went before me and barracaded the door. They kept trying to get in. We pressed the panic button to call the police. I ran upstairs into the bathroom and bolted the door and I heard my colleague yelling 'help me, help me'.

"They said 'open the till', 'give me all the money' and 'we are going to kill you'. They left before the police came.

"There were two witnesses who saw them leaving the shop. I don't remember much after that because I fainted."

Both members of staff were back at work on Saturday, despite being shaken by their ordeal.

Police are looking for three Asian men. One is described as 5ft 6ins, slim, in his late teens or early 20s, wearing a black cardigan with a zip up front and red stripes down the arms and dark trousers. All three had their faces covered.

The raid at Lloyds TSB follows a similar robbery at the bank's branch in Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, in September, when two masked men smashed their way through the counter's glass screen with a sledgehammer.

Det Sgt Ross Proctor said: "Two persons entered the bank, one person is believed to have been carrying a shotgun. They were wearing hooded tops or facial covering.

"The staff were threatened to hand over cash and offenders left in a silver Peugeot vehicle which was found burned out a short distance away on Charles Lane.

"We don't know how much money has been taken. There were a number of witnesses in the area we have spoken too.

"Inquiries are ongoing."

Anyone with information about either of the robberies should contact police at Burnley on 01282 425001.