TWO masked gunmen brandishing a sawn-off shotgun burst into a busy ex-servicemen's club and stole thousands of pounds from a safe, a court heard yesterday.

The armed robbers, who concealed their identities behind a balaclava and a motorcycle helmet, threatened staff and drinkers in the bar and held the gun to the head of club steward before making off in a stolen get-away car.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday on-lookers had initially thought the incident was a joke but they were told to stay in their seats by the robbers.

When two male drinkers stood up to help, one of the assailants pointed the weapon at them and said would be shot if they did not sit back down, said prosecutor Shaun Dodds.

The incident happened at Thornaby Ex-Service Club in Thornaby, Teesside, on Friday May 9 at around 10.30pm.

Mr Dodds said one of the men waited at the bar while the other robber, carrying the gun, made his way into a private area of the club where he came across a member of staff.

He said: "He went to walk back to the bar and was confronted by the gunman who pointed the gun at his face and said, "Open the f-ing safe." He said he did not how to."

The robber then threatened to blast the club steward if he did not give him the money.

The terrified staff members opened the safe and the robber stole around £3,500 before leaving the club with his accomplice and getting into a stolen Rover get-away car.

A drinker who had witnessed the incident pursued them and later saw the pair dumping the vehicle and getting into a Volkswagen Passant, which was recovered the next day and the driver arrested.

The court heard Jonathon Caley, 23, of Egerton Street, Middlesbrough, has admitted being the get-away driver and has pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. He is due to give evidence for the prosecution during the trial.

Peter George Caswell, 50, of Hawthorne Avenue, Middlesbrough and Shane Round, 30, of no fixed abode, are both on trial for possessing a firearm and robbery. They deny both counts.