A BANK in Ramsbottom hit by a £100,000 armed robbery earlier this month is being forced to close its doors for good.

Lloyds TSB bosses say that fears for the future security of the bank after three armed raids have led to the decision.

Letters have been sent to customers of the Bolton Street branch informing them that the bank will not reopen.

Lloyds TSB has remained closed since the daytime raid earlier this month when three men smashed their way through a glass security screen and forced open money drawers, a cash machine and a safe before escaping in a green Ford Focus which was later found abandoned.

One staff member was taken to hospital for treatment to cuts and bruises after being dragged to the floor by one of the two men armed with sledgehammers. Six months earlier, staff were forced to take refuge after three raiders attempted to break their way into the bank just after closing time.

Armed with lump hammers, the masked men began smashing their way through the main door while employees were still in the building, but they were forced to abandon the attempt when they could not break through.

In June 2001, a pregnant woman was taken to hospital suffering from shock after three raiders armed with wooden batons smashed their way through the banks rear fire door escaping with several thousand pounds before fleeing in a stolen Mitsubishi.

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB said: "Our priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and staff and because we are concerned about the future security of this branch, we have decided that it will not reopen.

"All customers of the branch have been notified in writing of our decision and we would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. Staff at our branch at 45 The Rock, Bury, will be happy to help with the banking needs of any customers affected by the closure of the branch."

But Ramsbottom councillors believe the closure proves more police are needed to patrol the area.

Councillor Barry Theckston said: "Ramsbottom councillors and the area board have been trying to get more police in Ramsbottom and I think it is justified even more so if a national organisation feels they can no longer trade in a town where the staff do not feel safe and secure."

The issue of policing in Ramsbottom has dominated the area for more than a decade. In 1991, Superintendent Steve Westcott, the then deputy commander of Bury's police division, told Ramsbottom residents that their expectations of local police was too high. He urged residents to lobby their MPs for more funding.

Three years ago, Ramsbottom councillors Dorothy Gunther, Barry Theckston and Sheila Magnall travelled to London to speak to then Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin about the troubles with law and order in Ramsbottom. At the time, Bury North MP David Chaytor criticised the Conservative representatives for the trip fearing they were "talking up" the level of crime and "wrecking the reputation" of Ramsbottom.

In July this year, the Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Area Board again wrote to Home Secretary Charles Clarke asking for help in increasing the numbers of police out on patrol.

Coun Theckston said: "We keep being told the crime figures do not warrant more police. We are going round in circles. We keep asking for Ramsbottom Police Station to be open longer. A police presence in a town reduces crime without a doubt."

But Inspector Steve Clark, from Ramsbottom Police, said more police had been deployed to the area in recent weeks.

He said: "I promised at a public meeting earlier this year there would be an increase in police officers based at Ramsbottom.

"That promise has been kept and the extra police officers have been based at Ramsbottom since the start of August.

"I fully acknowledge the terror that must have been experienced by the members of staff and customers who were present when these incidents happened.

"We need to bear in mind that, not only does the Ramsbottom and Tottington area have proportionately fewer business robberies than other areas of Bury, but Bury continues to be the metropolitan borough of Manchester which is the least affected by crime.

"The latest figures show, in proportion to the number of all incidents reported to the police by the public across the borough, there are more area-based police officers per incident at Ramsbottom than anywhere else in the borough."

But Coun Gunther, chairman of the area board, believes the councillors' fears are not being listened to: "Nobody seems to be taking us seriously and we quite frankly don't know what to do. If the banks get out, who will follow?"