A garden centre employee was tied up and the manager held at knifepoint in an early morning attack on Monday, August 10.
Two masked men – one armed with an eight-inch knife, the other with a hammer – forced their way into Barton Grange Garden Centre in Bolton on Monday morning.

The assailants waited until a member staff arrived around 8am before ambushing her and forcing their way in to the garden centre.

Manager Nick Thompson, who arrived 15 minutes later was then held at knifepoint and ordered to open the safe, but not before his female colleague had been tied up in the office and threatened. She was also forced to lie ton the floor while the robbery took place.

The men escaped with thousands of pounds in cash and garden centre vouchers, leaving both members of staff unharmed but understandably shaken.

Detective constable Richard Willoughby of Bolton CID described the robbery as "nasty" and said that the raiders were very organised and quite "prepared to use violence".

The two men were described as white, in their 20s and dressed in dark clothing and balaclavas. One was around 5ft 7ins tall and the other of average build.

Detectives are appealing for any information about the incident, particularly to anyone who may have seen a blue or dark coloured estate car or people carrier that was seen in the garden centre car park at the time.

Police believe the thieves made their getaway in the waiting vehicle, which was driven by a third man.

Anyone who thinks they may have seen a vehicle speeding away from the scene on Wigan Road, Hunger Hill, or witnessed people acting suspiciously prior to the robbery are urged to contact Bolton CID on 0161 856 5740 or call Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111.

Barton Grange has released CCTV footage of the robbery to local paper, the Bolton News in the hope that it may help catch the thieves.