DETECTIVES believe a violent robbery in Heywood and an attempted raid in Bury may be linked.

At about 8pm on July 10, a 52-year-old man was confronted by three thugs on the driveway of his home in Second Avenue, Fairfield.

He was threatened with an axe when he refused to hand over the keys to his car and his pet dog was kicked in the face, causing a cut to its eye.

The offenders fled empty-handed and got into a red Mazda 323 which sped away.

The raider with the axe was described as 17-years-old, 5ft 9ins tall, and of slim build. He was wearing blue jeans, a tracksuit top and had a northern accent.

One of the other offenders was white, 5ft 2ins tall, and wore dark clothing.

A third accomplice was white, aged about 16, 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build and also wore dark clothes.

Just under 90 minutes later, a 57-year-old man was in a house in Walton Street, Heywood, when four men wearing dark clothing and balaclavas forced their way into his home.

They atacked him with an axe, inflicting face and arm injuries. The gang then forced the man to hand over the keys to a silver Mazda 6.

Some of the men are believed to have left the scene in a red Mazda 323 which was later seen in the Salford area.

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the Bury incident but has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police in Bury on 0161 856 8093 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously if they wish, on 0800 555 111.