SHOPKEEPERS were shocked when police told them that hoodies trying to burgle their store may only have been playing hide and seek.

Kirsten Flint and Jacqueline Beattie, owners of The Butty Bar in Chorley New Road, Horwich, rang police after they caught two men trying to break into the shop.

But they claim they were told that officers would not come to the shop because no crime had been committed — and the would-be burglars might just have been playing a harmless game!

Now police have pledged to investigate the claim.

The women, who have been running the shop since September, were preparing to close on Friday afternoon when they saw two men hiding outside their back door.

“They had their hoods up and were crouched down at the back of the door. I could see them through the glass panel and one had his hand on the door handle,” said Ms Flint.

She opened the door and challenged the men.

The men were both white and in their late teens or early 20s. One was stocky and wearing a grey track suit and hooded top, while his friend was thinner and dressed in jeans, a black jacket and a hat with ear flaps.

“They looked startled and ran off down the steps,” she said.

The men had climbed over the back yard wall and unbolted the back gate ready for an apparent getaway.

The shopkeepers phoned the police to report the incident. Details were taken and they were told an officer would visit them the following day.

But on Saturday morning they received a phone call from a woman at a police station to say the visit was cancelled.

“She said that a crime had not been committed and they could have been playing hide and seek,” said Ms Flint.

“We were really shocked. There was no way they were playing hide and seek. What if they had got into the shop? It was frightening and we are a bit on edge now.

“We were astonished at the attitude of the police.”

Police area Inspector Mo Razaq said efforts would be made to try to identify the two men and a police community support officer would be visiting the shop.

“I am going to review the reason as to why no one went to the job. I want to find out why it was dealt with in this way," he said