ARMED robbers tied up bar staff and threatened them with a shotgun and a hammer before escaping with cash from a golf club.

Three employees at Blackwell Grange Golf Club in Darlington were recovering from their terrifying ordeal as detectives launched a major investigation.

The staff, thought to include at least one barmaid, had their hands tied by two masked men on Saturday night and warned they would be shot in the legs if they did not co-operate.

The staff were closing up the club at about 10.15pm when the raiders struck. The amount of cash taken is not thought to be substantial.

The raid was confirmed on Sunday night by the club’s general manager Ian Knight, who said: “Everyone is okay but it has clearly been a very frightening ordeal.”

Mr Knight was unable to give further details.

Speaking on Monday morning, Detective Sergeant Stew Walker, from Darlington CID, said: “While this was a distressing incident for those involved, I would like to reassure the community that thankfully, crimes of this nature are extremely rare.

“Nobody sustained any injuries during the incident and the victims are currently being supported by specially trained officers.

“I would like to appeal for anyone with any information to come forward.”

Earlier this year, the golf club, which is off the A66 down Snipe Lane, was targeted by arsonists who caused at least £30,000 of damage in the second malicious incident at the sports venue in recent years.

The shop at Darlington’s Blackwell Grange Golf Club was set on fire by vandals in an apparently motiveless attack in the early hours.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at around 5am on Saturday, July 23, with fire crews battling the blaze for almost an hour.

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) staged an investigation, with hydro-carbon detection dog Scrappy helping to establish the blaze was started deliberately.

The attack caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the outside of the purpose-built professional shop.

It is not known whether the arson attack was linked to an earlier incident of vandalism which, in 2013, saw ‘Go to Hell’ and other words sprayed in weed-killer across the club’s immaculate greens.

After the attack in July, security had been significantly upgraded with enhanced CCTV coverage.

  • If you can help contact Durham Police with any information on 101, quoting incident number 590 of September 23.
  • Alternatively information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.