Two masked men terrified workers of four convenience stores in a shocking 20 minute armed robbery spree.
Lewis Creighton, 27, split one shopkeeper's head open with a machete while his accomplice Joshua Anderson, 19, helped him to rob a shop in Lowton.
The pair emptied the till and stole three bottles of vodka from Mini Market, in Newton Road.
It was just one of four robberies carried out by Creighton and Anderson on the morning of August 14, prosecution barrister Rachel Widdicombe told Bolton Crown Court.
Their spree started at around 9.30am at High Spirits Go Local, Bradwell Road, Lowton.
Creighton, of no fixed abode, was wearing a balaclava and Anderson, of Cox Way, Atherton, had a blue mask as they made their way to the entrance of the store.
Before going in, Creighton hit the windscreen of a car with his machete and said to the person inside: "Don't be a f***ing hero."
When they entered the shop, Anderson said to the volunteer shop worker: "Give us all the money in the till."
Creighton then added: "Give us all the f***ing money".
The woman handed Creighton money from the till and he demanded more.
He also struck a plastic screen with his machete, which partially shattered and caused a cut to her head.
They drove a stolen Audi to Newton Road, where Creighton attacked the shopkeeper at Mini Market with his machete.
The man had to be taken to hospital with his injuries and had stitches to his finger and his head.
He also said that Creighton kept swearing at him and was coming towards him even as he backed away.
Anderson then pointed at the till until the shopkeeper opened it and he stuffed cash into his pockets, before running away with Creighton.
Their next target was a store in Warrington Road, Leigh.
As the owner opened up for the day, he turned around from the back room and saw two men walking towards him.
Anderson grabbed some pink gin from the shelf, while Creighton stood by the till and said: "Don't look at me. Open the till."
They stole £20 from the till and Creighton demanded that the shopkeeper fill his bag with cigarettes.
He then smashed a bottle of vodka on one of the shelves, with his machete.
The fourth and final robbery was at Food & Drink 4 U, in Green Street, Atherton.
A man was working alone when the two men entered.
Creighton said: "Open your f***ing till. Give me the f***ing money."
Anderson tried to open the till to no avail and Creighton then hit the shopkeeper on the back of the head three times with his machete, as well as to his back.
The man then picked up a plastic tray to defend himself and Creighton was stabbing at the tray.
Eventually Anderson just pulled the till off its shelf and they ran away with it.
Responding to the robberies at 10.15am, police saw Creighton and Anderson in Coronation Avenue, Atherton.
Both men ran but after finding a shirt in the garden of a house on neighbouring Spa Road, police tracked Creighton down to a Wendy house in someone's back garden.
He was topless and when questioned by police, he told them that he was homeless.
Elsewhere, Anderson fell out of a bush covered in scratches and told police that he had just been for a jog.
Police also recovered stolen items from other nearby gardens and both men were arrested.
Both men pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery. Creighton also pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.
Creighton's defence barrister, Patrick Buckley said that he had taken a 'total break from reality for 15 to 20 minutes'.
He added that although he has seven convictions for 13 offences, none are for violence.
Defending Anderson, Michael Johnson told the court that the teenager is "ashamed of himself" and "bitterly regrets" what he did.
Mr Johnson said that Anderson had a "difficult start in life" and has "gone off the rails" in recent years.
He then made reference to testimonials that "speak very well" of Anderson.
Mr Johnson added: "It's terribly sad to see a young man who's capable of having such a positive impact on people and of some potential, in the position he now is."
Creighton shook his head as Deputy Circuit Judge Timothy Clayson recounted the facts of the case, while Anderson smirked in parts.
Both men put their head in their hands as they were jailed for a combined total of more than 13 years.
Sentencing Creighton to seven years and four months imprisonment, Judge Clayson said: " You took a leading role throughout and caused physical injury."
He will have to serve two thirds of his sentence in custody.
Anderson was jailed for six years and will have to spend half in custody, with the rest on licence.
Judge Clayson added: "You took a full role with full knowledge that a weapon would be involved."
