Shop workers were injured and shaken during a terrifying knifepoint raid by masked robbers in Accrington.

Detectives are appealing for information and have issued dramatic CCTV images following the raid by two men at the Spar store petrol station on Burnley Road on Sunday night.

One of the men grabbed a female member of staff from behind and demanded she open the tills. After she had done this he dragged her to a staff office and ordered her to open a safe, before producing a silver-handled kitchen knife. He took money from the safe and fled.

Meanwhile, a second man had begun to empty the tills on the shop floor.

A male member of staff, who had been in the stock room, then entered the shop floor to find the robbery in progress.

He attempted to call the police but was prevented from doing so by the second offender, who swung a weapon towards him which broke the staff member’s phone and hurt his hand.

The raiders stole an unknown amount of money before fleeing the scene.

The two men made off from the store down Burnley Road in the direction of Cambridge Street and Windsor Street.

They were both in dark clothing and wearing face coverings, which they may have removed as they made off from the scene.

The raid took place at around 9.40pm on Sunday, March 20.

Detective Sergeant Andy Horne, of Blackburn CID, said: “This was a very serious incident which has left two members of staff extremely shaken.

“The female member of staff is bruised and sore from being manhandled around the store, while the male member of staff was left with injuries to his hand which he sustained while being stopped from calling the police.

“These are two people simply doing their jobs who have been put through an incredibly traumatic experience.

“We believe there were a lot of people in the area, including in the shop’s car park and forecourt, who may have seen something that could help us with our enquiries.

“There could also have been people in the area who saw the men running away from the shop, possibly removing their face coverings as they went.

“We would urge anybody who was in the area at the time who could help with our enquiries to get in touch.”

Anybody with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log number 1444 of March 20, 2016.