Westhougton shop raiders fought off with shoe and jar

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A shop worker fought off a knife-wielding robber with one of his shoes and a glass jar.

The man needed 12 stitches in his arm after he was "prodded" with a knife during the attempted raid early on Saturday in Westhoughton.

The two masked robbers eventually backed off and fled without cash, said a Greater Manchester Police spokesman.

Det Con Malcolm Cheetham said the man's "heroic actions" meant the thieves left empty handed.

The men were confronted immediately as they entered the Mercury Service Station on Manchester Road at about 01:20 BST on Saturday.

The shop assistant took off his shoe and grabbed a glass jar to try to fend them off.

One of the masked men threatened him with a knife prodding his arm each time he tried to fight them, police said.

The victim suffered two puncture wounds to his arm.