TEN customers were injured when a gang burst into a Stoneclough pub armed with meat cleavers, crowbars and hammers.

The terrifying raid happened at The Grapes in Market Street around 10pm on Saturday. Five of the injured required hospital treatment.

Following the frenzied attack, the gang of six men ran out of the pub and are thought to have got into two cars, including a Volkswagen Golf which turned left onto Stoneclough Road towards Whitefield.

There were more than 30 people in The Grapes at the time of the incident. One man suffered facial injuries, another suffered a gash to his right shoulder and a third man suffered a two-inch gash to his left forearm and a large cut to his back. A fourth man suffered a cut to his head, another man suffered an injury to his left eye and bruising to his back and ribs, and a sixth man suffered a fractured collar bone and a deep cut to his shoulder.

Detectives believe the violence may be linked to another incident at the nearby Hare and Hounds pub on January 13, in which a man was assaulted and a car was damaged.

Detectives are appealing for anyone who remembers seeing the black VW Golf in the Whitefield area or who witnessed any part of the incident to contact CID at Bolton on 0161 856 5470, 0161 856 5797 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.