TWO masked raiders brandishing a handgun and a knife threatened terrified staff and customers at a Bolton betting shop before stealing up to £4,000.

The raiders - who threatened to kill anyone who got in their way - are believed to have been responsible for a carbon copy raid on another Bolton bookie's earlier this month.

The latest robbery was at 6.30pm on Saturday when the men stormed into the Ladbrokes shop on Belmont Road, Sharples and warned cashiers and five punters that they would kill anyone who tried to stop them.

A cashier was ordered to open the safe and the men escaped in a stolen red Ford Escort later found abandoned on Mitre Street, Bolton.

Both raiders, who were white and in their early twenties, were wearing baseball caps and scarves to cover their faces. One is about 5ft 8ins tall and the other 5ft 11ins.

The same men are believed to have been responsible for a Derby Day raid at Holdings bookie's in Bury Road, Breightmet, three weeks ago. Both robberies were carried out on a Saturday at virtually the same time.

In the first robbery the men were also armed with a pistol and a machete. Two female members of staff and two customers were threatened and £4,500 was taken from the tills and a safe.

A senior detective said: "The two robberies are very alike. We are working on the possibility that they are connected."

A reward for information about the latest robbery has been offered under the GMP Crimestoppers scheme. Anyone with information is asked to contact Astley Bridge CID tel: 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers on the free phone 0800 555 111.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.