ARMED raiders used a car magazine ruse in an attempt to rob a North-East father and son of thousands of pounds.

Laurie Masterson, 53, and his 22-year-old son Andrew, both from Hartlepool, answered an advert for a car at a knockdown price for a cash- only sale on the Internet site for Auto Trader.

They drove to Slough, near Reading, Berkshire, to view the Honda S2000 sports car and were told by phone to wait in a cul-de-sac until the dealer arrived.

But instead they were confronted by an armed gang with hoods pulled over their faces who smashed their car windows in an attempt to steal the £16,000 cash they had with them.

Mr Masterson, a former soldier, of Owton Manor, said: "We had locked the doors. They were trying to hit us through the windows with batons."

Fortunately the married father-of-two had a metal bar under his driver's seat which he uses for changing wheels. He said: "I beat them off with that."

The gang eventually fled empty-handed.

Police told them they were the second victims of the day. In the first incident, the robbers pulled and fired a gun before being beaten off in a violent struggle.

Mr Masterson was unhurt in the attack but his son, who works in car insurance, suffered cuts from broken glass.

A spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police yesterday said they had arrested one man in connection with the attacks. He has been bailed pending further inquiries.