Mother and daughter fight off armed thugs

Date published: 15 January 2014


A MUM and daughter sent hammer-wielding thugs packing when robbers targeted their Ashton Road store for the fourth time in two years.

Padma Bhana and her 25-year-old daughter Poonum rushed to the aid of 62-year-old Ramesh after hearing his cries for help when two men burst into the off-licence and demanded he open the till.

When the pair appeared from a back room the raiders grabbed four bottles of alcohol and ran off towards Ethel Street - followed by plucky Poonum, who chased them until they outran her.

Padma (60) says the family — which haa run Bhana Stores for 23 years — is now terrified they will be targeted again

“I’m just glad my daughter was in at the time,” said Padma. “If we hadn’t come into the shop they would have hit my husband. My daughter is only small but she just ran after them to try to catch them.

“We are scared and nervous now, we don’t understand why it keeps happening to us.

“Eighteen months ago we were threatened with a gun but my husband hit him over the hand with a stool and he ran off,” said Padma.

“We’ve also been threatened with a big carving knife: the robber got away with cash from the till. And we’ve been threatened with two hammers in the last 18 months.

“We have worked for every brick in this place, every penny we have earned over 23 years we have put back in here to keep our customers happy.”

Oldham Police are now hunting for the raiders, who struck in the early evening of January 5.

The first robber was described as white, around 5ft 8in tall with an average build, wearing a black jacket which looked like a fake “Superdry” brand, with a scarf or snood across his face. He carried a Lidl bag and black-handled claw hammers.

Anyone who has any information should contact Oldham CID on 0161 856 8985 or alternatively Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.