THIS is a silver VW Golf, one of two cars used in an armed hold-up of a Tesco store in central Middlesbrough, this week.

Detective Inspector Chris Sadler, heading the manhunt for the machete armed robbers, said: "I believe two vehicles were stolen from the wider Manchester area some weeks prior to the offence on Monday, July 9.

"The vehicles must have been stored or used during this period before travelling to Teesside to commit the offence.'' The detective says other vehicles may have been used in the raid on the store in Parliament Road in which a "significant'' amount of money was stolen in a number of cash boxes.

The Golf GTi Reg No V131DTN was using false plates which were taken from a car being innocently used in the Scunthorpe area.

The second vehicle involved, a black Mercedes 320S class, bearing false plates of 75GM.

DI Sadler is keen to hear from anyone who saw either vehicle in Middlesbrough before the robbery - or after, and their occupants.

He said: "I believe that the robbers left Tesco store in the Golf, travelled along Parliament Road, turned right onto Union Street before stopping in the Greta Street area before abandoning the Golf and getting into the Mercedes.'' Anyone with information should ring 01642-326326.