TERRIFIED Burger King staff including a heavily pregnant worker were threatened at gun point as the fast food outlet was robbed for the second time in five weeks.

Armed robbers entered the Bridge Hall Lane, Bury, restaurant with knives shortly after 2am on April 13 making away with £1,700 and stealing a worker's car.

Masked men targeted them again at 3am on May 21 armed with a gun and a knife and threatened staff before stealing £35 and another worker's car.

Manager Samantha Webb wasn't working at the time of either incident but was woken both times after phone calls from her staff.

She said: "When I got the call I got up straight away and went straight over, I didn't worry at first when my phone went off because it often goes off in the night but you can't help but panic when you hear they're being robbed.

"When I got there the first time they weren't crying or anything they were just in shock and the police were already there."

Miss Webb, who has been manager at the branch for seven years, explained that both robberies had happened as the staff had tried to leave.

The first incident the offenders forced the staff back inside and demanded cash before they stole a brand new Peugeot belonging to employee Adnan Shoukat.

The car has still not been found.

Miss Webb said it was normal to have three members of staff on a late shift as they locked up at 3am after shutting at 2am.

The 44-year-old explained: "They all had a week off but they've all been ok after that."

The second incident came five weeks later at 3am on Saturday May 21.

The three workers, including someone who is six months pregnant, had been preparing to lock up when two masked men, one carrying a large knife and the other a black handgun, entered the restaurant demanding cash.

Miss Webb said: "It's such a shock, it's not about the money that has been taken. They held a gun to the woman's head and threatened her to give them the money.

“I was really worried about her.

"The worst thing is the robbers knew she was pregnant too because the other team members told them."

The store had changed their procedures after the first robbery so the offenders only got away with £35.

However, they also stole a BMW belonging to a 25-year-old worker.

Miss Webb said: "They demanded his keys and took his BMW. That was the biggest loss because it was his pride and joy, he was absolutely devastated. When I arrived after they called me they were all really emotional and shaken up."

The BMW was later found at a site in Heywood.

Following the incidents the manager has decided to close the restaurant two hours earlier, shutting at midnight.

Miss Webb explained: "If it makes them feel safer then it's worth it, it doesn't really matter about the loss of takings. I'm like their mum I call them every night when they are locking up now.

"That way if I hear anything I can call the police straight away. I worry about them. I'm concerned for my staff more than anything.

"I'm more upset that I feel like I can't protect my staff. I feel angry that this has happened, we are so isolated here so it's an easy target for them."

The three members of staff who were victims in the second robbery haven't returned to work and Miss Webb said she has other team members not wanting to work the late shift.

She said: "I can't blame them really. I've tried to explain to them that all they want is the money but it's still a terrifying experience."

In addition to the two robberies in Bury there was also a third robbery at the Burger King on Trinity Retail Park in Springfield, Bolton, on April 13 at 11.45pm.

One of the men, armed with a hammer, jumped through a drive through service hatch and began threatening members of staff before leaving with a quantity of cash.

Detective Constable Danny Whitaker of GMP’s Bury Borough said: "This series of robberies has left staff members absolutely terrified and understandably so.

"We have been working closely with the management at the restaurants to provide staff with support and offer security advice to try and help better protect themselves from future robberies.

"We are treating these incidents as linked and are now appealing for the public's help to assist us in finding the men responsible.

"Nobody should have to come into work and be put through such a traumatic experience when they are just trying to do their job and I would ask that anybody who thinks they may know something that can assist our investigation to please contact police."

Anybody with information should contact police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.