STAFF at a Whitefield children's play den were threatened by armed raiders during a weekend robbery.

They struck at the Alphabet Zoo premises in Bury Old Road before escaping with cash from the till.

The incident happened at 1.30pm on Saturday. One of the raiders confronted staff as two others acted as look-outs. They brandished a hammer and a stick.

Police say the till was wrenched from the counter and the cash contents, unspecified as yet, stolen.

Car

The trio ran from the premises into a waiting Ford Sierra, driven by a fourth man. The car, which had been stolen, was later found abandoned and burned out in Salford.

One of the raiders was 6ft tall and wore a three quarter length jacket and a black woollen balaclava.

A second man was 6ft tall, medium build and wearing a black balaclava and black bomber jacket.

The third man wore a pillow case, with cut out eye holes, over his head.

Anyone with information is asked to ring Whitefield CID on 856 8240.

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