A THUG pointed a gun at a terrified teenager and threatened to pull the trigger during a robbery at a Bromley Cross newsagent last night.

The raider held the gun at the 18-year-old girl's head and ordered her to hand over the cash.

The robber, and an accomplice, then fled from Nelson's newsagents in Darwen Road with up to £70 in cash from the till.

Detectives say the teenager, who has not been identified, was badly shaken by her ordeal but was otherwise uninjured.

The two raiders entered the newsagents at 6.30pm last night posing as customers.

They waited until the shop was empty before they confronted the girl cashier.

One of the men them ordered her to hand over the money before pointing the gun at her head.

The two men then ran out of the shop. Detectives believe the two raiders may have driven away from the scene in a white van which drove past the premises seconds after the two men ran out of the shop.

Police have released detailed descriptions of the two men. Both are white. The gunman had a scarf over his face. His is in his late 20s, 5ft 7ins tall with dark hair. He was wearing a distinctive dark blue padded anorak. The scarf over his face had blue and white stripes and a Georgio motif.

The second man is in his early 30s, 5ft 8ins tall, light hair and moustache, unshaven with grubby hands. He was wearing a three-quarter length tunic style jacket and dirty trainers.

Police say the van which drove away as they left the scene - and was probably the getaway vehicle - is white and had three lines of blue writing on the side.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Astley Bridge CID or Crimestoppers on the free phone number 0800 555 111.

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