Robbers attack man with axe

A man was axed in the face as he was awoken by armed robbers demanding money, police said today.

Mohammed Younis, 58, was in bed with his wife when four masked raiders broke into the kitchen window of his home in Crumpsall, Manchester.

Mr Younis was left scarred for life by the assault from the men who later made off with two mobile phones and a gold chain.

His 25-year-old daughter cowered in her bedroom as she heard his screams.

The shopkeeper has since undergone micro-surgery to treat a large gash that runs from his forehead, through his eye and down his cheek.

He also suffered a deep cut to his right jawline and will need further hospital treatment for his injuries, a Greater Manchester Police spokesman said.

Mr Younis's daughter rang the police when she heard the screams from her parents' bedroom.

She then heard a man say: "Where's the money?" followed by her mother shouting: "They've killed him!"

The masked men had earlier crept into her room before then targeting her father.

The 25-year-old son of Mr Younis, his wife and their two young children were in the room next door when he was attacked.

His son later got up and went downstairs where he found his father injured and bleeding badly.

Police are appealing for information about the raid at the house in Brooklands Road which took place just before 1am on Saturday, 6 December.

Detective Constable John Steward said: "The sheer terror that this family must have felt at the hands of these men is hard to imagine.

"Mohammed was woken in the middle of the night and smashed in the face with an axe. His wife thought he was dead. These men do not deserve to be walking the streets.

"I urge anyone who knows about this robbery to come and speak to us immediately. I'll be surprised if these men haven't bragged about this in some way, and the information you've been given could be crucial to our investigation.

"If you don't want the thought of this happening to anyone else on your conscience then please come and speak to us. We will make sure that nobody knows you've done so."

Police later found one of the stolen phones in some bushes nearby, along with a claw hammer.

The raiders also took the keys to Mr Younis's grocery store, which have not been recovered, and his son's car keys - although the vehicle was not taken.

Anyone with information or who witnessed anything suspicious in the area on the night of the crime should phone Grey Mare Lane CID on 0161 856 3540 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.