HAMMER-WIELDING thieves were warded off by quick thinking staff in a Bourton-on-the-Water convenience store who sprayed them with a cleaning product.

Two masked men entered the shop on the High Street in Bourton-on-the-Water shortly before 5.20pm on October 20.

The men threatened the staff and customers with a hammer before one of the shop workers sprayed the offenders with a cleaning product and they made off empty handed.

The first offender is described as 5ft 6ins to 5ft 11ins tall, of stocky build and wearing a light grey hooded tracksuit top, light grey jogging bottoms and grey face covering, possibly a ski mask.

The second offender is believed to be taller than the first offender, of thinner build and wearing a light coloured jogging top and bottoms that might be darker than the top.

Later on, at around 6.40pm, two masked robbers entered a bookmakers in Mill Parade in Bishop's Cleeve and threatened a staff member with a hammer before demanding money and making off with several hundred pounds.

In this case the first offender is described as 5ft 10ins - 6ft tall, of larger build than the second offender, wearing a plain grey hooded top, grey jogging style bottoms and wearing a grey mask.

The second offender is described as 6ft tall, of slim build, with a grey hooded top, possibly darker trousers and a dark coloured mask.

Detectives are trying to establish if both offences were carried out by the same people and forensic, CCTV and other inquiries remain ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity that could be linked to either robbery or has any information about these cases should call 101, quoting incident 396 (Bourton robbery) or 455 (Bishop's Cleeve robbery) of October 20.