THIS is the terrifying moment two women bank customers thought they were going to die at the hands of masked robbers.

Dramatic CCTV images released by police today show one man holding a machete at his hostage's throat while the second raider wields a gun.

Fearing for the lives of the women, staff at Barclays Bank, Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, opened the safe and the men escaped with more than £100,000.

A police hunt is still under way for the gang and a £15,000 reward has been put up for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robbers who burst into the bank last Thursday morning. Police released the CCTV stills of the raid in the hope that the public may be able to help officers identify the men.

DC Alistair Hodskinson said: "The footage shows how horrific the experience was for those involved. It also shows the shocking level of violence the robbers used towards defenceless members of the public and the bank clerks.

"The two women are still very badly shaken by their ordeal."

The gang struck at around 11am as a Securicor van made a cash delivery to the bank.

As the security guards were about to drive away, two white men wearing dark clothing, balaclavas and gloves ran into the bank.

They grabbed hold of the two women, one aged in her 50s and one in her 30s, who were the only customers at the time and threatened them.

The gunman dragged his hostage, who was in her 30s, to a security door at the side of the counter and pointed the weapon at her head.

Fearing for her safety, the cashier opened the door and the man stole a substantial amount of money from the safe.

As he was putting the cash into a black holdall, a member of staff activated the alarm which immediately filled the bank with smoke.

The two men ran out of the bank and fled in a waiting Vauxhall Vectra, registration number KG03 EWL, which had earlier been reported stolen from Merseyside in June 2004. It was found burnt out shortly afterwards near to the M61.

Both the women escaped unhurt but were left badly shaken.

DC Hodskinson said: "This robbery had obviously been planned with a great deal of precision and the men showed no regard for the safety or welfare of the staff or customers in the bank.

"They held innocent women, who were simply going about their daily business, hostage with a gun and each and everyone of them feared for their lives.

"The CCTV images we have of the two men are extremely clear and we hope that people will be able to help us track them down.

"Someone somewhere must know who these men are and I would urge anyone who recognises them or has any information about the robbery, no matter how small they think it is, to call us."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bolton CID on 0161 856 5740 or Crimestoppers on free phone 0800 555 111.