A 17-YEAR-OLD paper girl completed her early-morning round despite a robber ordering her to take off her roller boots.

Ashley Cooper delivered her last ten papers in her socks before walking nearly a mile back to newsagents Breightmet News in Bury Road, Breightmet.

She had taken the part-time job to boost her income as she studied at Bolton College.

Ashley, of Bury Road, was delivering in Somerton Road, Breightmet, when she was approached by a teenager who told her to hand over all her cash.

After searching her and realising she had none, he ordered her to take off her roller boots then ran off.

Ian Morris, who runs Breightmet News, described the robber as "the scum of the earth".

He said: "You have to give her full credit for continuing her round. He would probably get nothing for the boots.

"She is a lovely, hard working girl but she now says she doesn't feel able to do the job."

In a seperate incident, paper boy Mark Lever, aged 15, had his mountain bike stolen after leaving it against the gate of a house in Lea Gate Close, Bradshaw.

The thief rode off across Safeway car park.

Mark, a pupil at Cannon Slade School, had saved up for the bike for two years but cannot now complete the round in time for school.

The bike had a black seat with a white stripe on it, a white rim round the wheels and orange pedals.

The thief was wearing white tracksuit bottoms, black jacket and black baseball cap. Anyone with information should call Astley Bridge Police on 0161 872 5050.