Police hunt axemen who robbed bank

AXE-WIELDING robbers who raided a town centre bank in broad daylight got away with just hundreds of pounds.

Police are continuing to hunt the masked gang who forced staff to open the cashier section of Lloyds TSB's Longton branch on The Strand yesterday afternoon.

Witnesses have described how terrified staff and customers were ordered to lie on the floor as crooks stormed in just after 2pm.

But it is believed the robbers fled prematurely after being spooked by a police car which was stuck in traffic outside the bank while on an unconnected patrol.

They then sped off in a stolen grey-coloured Seat Leon, which was later found abandoned in nearby Foley Road.

Denise Deakin was at home in Foley Road when she heard a car screech to a halt.

The 40-year-old said: "I thought someone must have been knocked down so I looked out of the window and saw four men running up Power Grove with large stick-like weapons in their hands.

"They just dumped the car half on the pavement and there were skid marks all over the road."

One witness said she froze with fear after seeing the robbers emerge from a car and run into the bank brandishing axes and hammers.

The woman, who had just finished her shift at Lloyds Pharmacy next door to the bank, said: "There were about three or four of them and I remember seeing one who had what looked like a lump hammer in his hand.

"They ran into the bank and there was a lot of shouting and screaming and people were told to get on the floor and I think a couple of people were physically dragged by their hair.

"There was a police car stuck in traffic outside the bank and one of the robbers came out and took a swing at it with his hammer, but missed.

"The others then ran out of the bank and dived into what must have been their getaway car and they sped off."

Within minutes, police cars arrived to cordon off the scene and the force helicopter also took to the skies to search for the gang.

Two people were taken to hospital with minor injuries following the raid.

Detective Inspector Jason O'Toole said: "At the moment it looks as if they have stolen hundreds rather than thousands of pounds.

"A police car was driving down the road at the time of the robbery and it looks like one of the gang members has seen the vehicle and alerted the others, and that is when they have made their getaway.

"A member of staff at the bank was taken to hospital for treatment for shock and a man outside the bank was treated after one of the robbers hit him on his side with a hammer as he took down the vehicle's registration plate."

Anyone with information is asked to call Stoke-on-Trent CID on 0300 123 44 55 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Story filed in: Staffordshire Police | News | Longton