ROBBERS wielding an axe raided a garden centre and locked staff inside before they fled.

The masked duo struck at Wilmslow Garden Centre, Manchester Road, at 5.10pm on Sunday.

They threatened staff with an axe before escaping with cash.

Owner Rebecca Tilling said: "A fair few members of my team were on duty, they are shocked and upset.

"The threat of violence was very real but they are all coping very well. They got away with the bare minimum."

She added: "I want to implement measures to ensure this never happens again. All retailers in Wilmslow are vulnerable to this."

Rebecca says the robbers were caught on the centre's CCTV system.

But that her attempts in the past to add other security measures had been foiled.

She had wanted to build a two metres high fence around the centre to make it less vulnerable to attacks but said that planning permission was declined.

Rebecca explained: "There is planting around the outside. I have been trying to get a road side fence, to replace the bushes, to open up the site so it isn't isolated and vulnerable.

"But it is classified as a green belt area so planning permission was refused.

"Now I want to work with planners to make this place as secure as possible."

Rebecca was not at the garden centre when the crooks swooped.

Locked up staff called to inform her after they had rung the police.

Detectives describe the two robbers as in their early 20s, of slim build, 5ft 10in-6ft tall, with Manchester accents and wearing balaclavas.

One was also wearing a black hooded top with white piping round the edges and the words 'Air Max' in large writing on the back as well as black Adidas tracksuit bottoms tucked in to his socks.

The other wore a black bomber jacket, dark tracksuit bottoms and dark trainers.

Anyone with information on the robbery can call Detective Constable Ian Madden on (01244) 613631.