Worker injured in garage robbery

A worker at a petrol station needed 12 stitches in his head after he was thrown to the floor during a robbery.

The 42-year-old was threatened with a foot-long knife when the garage in Ashton-on-Mersey, Greater Manchester, was raided by four masked men.

He was pushed to the floor, cutting his head on a fridge, in the robbery on Tuesday night.

The gang tampered with the till before driving off in a blue car. It is not yet known what was stolen.

'Very shaken'

The man was taken to Trafford General Hospital and had 12 stitches in the wound on his head. He was expected to be released on Wednesday.

Det Con Mark Astbury, of Greater Manchester Police, said that the robbers probably targeted the petrol station, knowing the man was working alone.

He added: "The offenders showed absolutely no regard for the man's welfare and, even though his head was bleeding profusely, they made further threats of violence towards him just to get what they wanted.

"Although he was injured, and I am sure very shaken by the incident, the man was fortunate that his injuries were not more serious."