POLICE are hunting a gang of men armed with crowbars after a £17,000 robbery in Hampshire.

Two female employees at the Co-op store in Nursling Street, Nursling, were opening up when they were confronted by a group of masked raiders.

The robbery - the latest in a series involving Co-op stores in south-western Hampshire - occurred just before 6am on Monday.

Police say the raiders entered the shop and threatened staff with crowbars before making off with about £5,000 in cash and cigarettes valued at £12,000.

It comes as police continue to investigate two robberies that occurred in Southampton last Sunday.

Two men entered the One Stop store in Park Road and demanded money after threatening staff. One of them claimed to have a gun but no weapon was seen and the men fled empty-handed.

Later that evening an almost identical similar incident took place at the Co-op store in Foundry Lane, Shirley, where staff handed over £100.

Police are linking the crimes and have released CCTV images of two men they want to trace.

On Tuesday officers involved in the investigation arrested three men aged 30, 46 and 51 from Southampton and Totton. They have since been released from police custody but remain under investigation.

The Nursling robbery is not at this stage being linked to any other incidents in south-western Hampshire.

The store, which includes a small post office, is part of a small parade of shops almost opposite the junction of Nursling Street and Winfrith Way.

The raiders are described as white and aged in their twenties.

Staff at the store declined to discuss the incident and no-one at the Co-op's headquarters was available for comment.

Anyone with any information should call Det Con Simon Murray at Southampton Central Police Station on 101, quoting crime reference number 44180065463.

To view the CCTV images released by police investigating the two robberies in Southampton last Sunday go online and visit dailyecho.co.uk.