ROBBERS in Balaclavas - one wielding a hammer - struck outside Morrisons supermarket in a frightening daylight raid at the weekend.

Detectives from Cheshire Police have made an urgent appeal for information after two robbers threatened a security guard and made off with a case filled with cash just after 4pm on Sunday.

The masked men sprang their surprise by running at the guard carrying the grey, plastic case as he left the store and approached a Securicor transit van parked just outside the supermarket's main entrance.

Police say one of the robbers held a hammer above his head as he threatened the security guard.

The terrified guard dropped the case on the floor before one of the culprits grabbed it and ran off, together with his accomplice.

DC Jim Plumb, from Northwich CID, said: "We believe that two cars are involved in this incident.

"The first was a silver Vauxhall Mariva, which was later found abandoned in Bradbury Road in Winsford.

"The second car was a silver or possibly white car, which we believe could have been an X-type Jaguar or possibly a Mercedes. It was seen to leave the area with the Mariva.

"What we are keen to do is trace witnesses to the offence - we could really do with hearing from shoppers who either saw the robbery take place, or people who saw the car being abandoned."

Both of the suspects are approximately 6ft tall and of stocky build and wore dark clothing at the time.

Anybody who can help police with their investigation should call detectives on 01244 613233 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, where information can be left in confidence.

A shopper at the store who did not want to be named said on Monday: "It's pretty shocking really. I live in Sandbach and shop here on my way home from work and it's not the kind of thing you expect to happen."

A Morrisons spokesman would only say that the matter was now in the hands of the police.