FOUR masked thugs brandishing a shotgun, a baseball bat and an axe handcuffed a newsagent during a terrifying robbery in Little Hulton.

The thugs handcuffed the man's hands together before forcing his wife to open the safe. The thugs then fled with National Lottery cards, worth £1,400, and £100 in cash.

The thugs, all wearing balaclava masks, burst into Martin The Newsagents in the Little Hulton District Centre shortly after 7am yesterday.

The thugs threatened to shoot the newsagent and his wife before they handcuffed the man's hands together. The raiders then frogmarched the couple into a back room where the woman was forced to open the safe.

As the four thieves fled they threatened a customer who entered the shop as they were escaping. He was also threatened with the sawn off shotgun.

Detectives say the newsagent and his wife were badly shocked but otherwise uninjured. The thieves were masked and all were wearing blue or black tracksuits.

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

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