Hero customer sees off pub raiders

A HAVE-A-GO hero thwarted two masked raiders at a Royton pub, and two members of staff stopped another thief.

The customer challenged the two men at the Summit Inn at Rochdale Road, on Sunday night. One had a machete and the other carried a golf club.

But the customer stood up to them and swung a bar stool in their direction.

He sustained an eye injury in the disturbance which happened between 11 and 11.30pm as customers finished their drinks.

Another raider, armed with a hammer, went upstairs in search of takings.

But he was stopped and then detained by two members of staff. He broke free and jumped out of a window.

Another customer, who did not want to be named, said: “One man in the bar area stood up to the two raiders who were downstairs. And he virtually chased them away waving a bar stool.

“He was slightly injured, sustaining a cut eye from one of the weapons, in the process.

“But the raiders then fled. Two went out of the front door and the one who was upstairs jumped from a window.

“They fled empty-handed by car in the direction of Royton, but not before they hurled bricks at the pub.”

A police spokesman said: “The men were wearing balaclavas and dark clothing. Inquiries are ongoing.”

A spokesman for the pub owners, the Spirit Group, the managed house division of Punch Taverns said: “We can confirm that there was an incident where three masked men got into the premises but nothing was stolen.

“We are co-operating fully with the police in their inquiries. There was a man in the bar area who did speak to the raiders but we have no more information than that.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Oldham CID on 0161-856 8951 or the Crimestoppers charity (anonymously) on 0800-555 111.