Masked robbers escaped with £50,000 from a Bolton post office after threatening two teenage shop workers with a gun.

The two men struck within minutes of a cash delivery at Moss Bank Post Office in Johnson Fold.

Vikas Hussain, aged 17, and his 19-year-old sister Fozia had a handgun pointed at them in the shop area of the post office in Moss Bank Way by one of the men, as the other tried to smash a security screen with a metal bar while demanding cash.

Terrified postmaster Munna Hussain, who was behind the screen at the time, handed over a bag of cash and the two men fled on foot.

Detectives hunting the pair have said the robbery had been carefully timed to coincide with the cash deposit and believe the raiders had been watching the post office to pinpoint delivery times.

Mr Hussain said he feared for the life of his younger brother and sister during Thursday's robbery at 10.50am.

"These two men burst in and one of them pointed the gun at my brother and sister while the other one was screaming at me to give him the money," said Mr Hussain, aged 22.

"The first thing I thought was that they could be killed and I handed over the money straight away.

"We were all terrified. It happened in a matter of seconds."

There were no customers in the post office at the time of the robbery.

Det Con Ged Early of Astley Bridge CID said the two men fled towards Moss Bank Park on foot and may have been picked up by a getaway vehicle nearby.

He said: "The robbery took place within a five or 10 minutes of a delivery and it appears that it was timed to coincide with that.

"All three of the people who were working in the shop at the time were understandably petrified and we are very keen to trace whoever was responsible.

"It may be that they were in the area prior to the robbery to watch the post office.

"We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw them immediately after they left the post office."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bolton CID on 0161 856 5740 or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111