THREE thugs brandishing sawn off shotguns threatened to shoot a security guard before they grabbed more than £50,000 from a Walkden building society last night.

One of the raiders held a gun at the head of the 57-year-old guard and threatened to pull the trigger.

The three-man gang struck as the guard was making a cash delivery to the Nationwide in Bolton Road.

The robbery was one of three armed raids in the area during four hours last night.

Detectives believe the Walkden raiders had waited for the arrival of the Securicor guard before they struck at 9.35pm.

Once the guard had been allowed allowed in, the gang - all in ski masks - used a sledgehammer to force their way through a door.

They are believed to have escaped in a dark coloured Mondeo car. They were all white, about 5ft 9ins tall and stocky build.

Detectives want to speak to anyone who may have seen the thugs at the shopping precinct up to an hour before the robbery.

Earlier last night a 25-year-old shop assistant was threatened with a handgun by a man who burst into the premises of Victoria Wines in Eccles Old Road, Eccles, last night.

The woman was forced to hand over the contents of the till.

The raider was white, about 6ft, in his 20s, with a moustache, wearing a green coloured workman's hat, stonewashed blue jeans and a loose fitting cloth coat

Four hours later, at 10pm, a gunman burst into another Victoria Wines off licence, this time in Moss Lane, Swinton, as it was about to close.

A woman employee was forced to hand over the contents of the tills.

The thug was white, also in his early 20s with a black scarf over his face, wearing a Russell Athletic sweatshirt with a hood, gloves, blue jeans and white trainers.

Police think there may have been a link between the two off licence robberies.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Swinton CID, 0161 872 5050, or Crimestoppers detectives on the freephone number 0800 555 111.

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