POLICE were today searching for three men who escaped with cash in an armed Post Office raid.

As reported in later editions of last night's BEN the raiders burst into the Blackmoor Post Office on Manchester Road, Astley and threatened staff with a handgun and a hammer.

They ran off with a cash box and bags of cash. They escaped in a Volkswagen Golf which was later found abandoned in Church Street, Astley.

The cash box had been dumped and left intact with the money still in it.

The attacker with the gun was white and the man with the hammer was of mixed race. Both were wearing blue or black hooded cagoules, balaclavas and gloves. They spoke with a Manchester or Salford accent.

Details about the amount of cash stolen have not been released by Post Office Counters.

Anyone with information about the raid at 10.50am yesterday should contact Leigh CID on 0161 856 7253 or Crimestoppers free on 0800 555 111.

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