Robbers storm bank with chainsaw

ARMED ROBBERS wielding a sledgehammer and chainsaw have stormed a bank.

A group of up to six men rammed the front of Lloyds in High Street in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, yesterday with a Ford Fiesta.

Then two armed men wearing balaclavas tried to cut through a door and a third man torched the car outside.

The men then fled the scene empty-handed in a black Range Rover which was found burnt out nearby.

Three members of staff were inside the bank at the time but nobody was injured.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)said the incident happened shortly before 9.15am and are appealing for information.

Inspector David Fulton, of GMP’s Stockport borough, said: “This was a brazen robbery conducted in broad daylight on one of the main streets running through Cheadle.

“It has left staff members completely terrified when they were just starting work for the day and it is fortunate that nobody was harmed.

“It took place during rush-hour on a busy road with lots of people going to work or out shopping so someone must have seen this going on.”

Road closures remain in place in High Street between Wilmslow Road and Manchester Road while fire crews extinguish the vehicle and police carry out inquiries.

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident number 506 of 29/07/16, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Witness Mel McDonough, 19, said: “The men were running out of Lloyds wearing balaclavas and carrying a chainsaw and sledgehammer and duffle bags. It was very surreal.”