Attempted armed robbery at the Council's Green Lane depot

Police are appealing for information after an attempted armed robbery at the council office in Heywood. 

Shortly before 5pm three men climbed through an open ground-floor window of Rochdale Borough Council's Environmental Management office just off Green Lane in Heywood. 

One of the men was armed with a machete, another with an axe. 

Once inside the building the men threatened staff and told them to lie on the floor. They demanded money but eventually left empty-handed. 

A man suffered a small cut to his finger during the incident. He did not require hospital treatment.

All three offenders were wearing black clothing, gloves and balaclavas and were seen getting into a dark blue Nissan Almera Sport, being driven by a fourth man, after the incident. The Almera was later found abandoned on Victor Street. 

The car is believed to have been stolen from Great Cheetham Street East in Manchester on 17 October 2006. 

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4646 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A Council spokesman said: "An incident occurred at the depot late evening. It appears that the men's intention was theft, but money is not held at the depot. When they discovered this, the men fled and happily no-one was seriously hurt."