GOLFERS have vowed it is “business as usual” at their club, despite the shock of an armed raid which saw staff threatened with a shotgun and a hammer.

Players arriving at Blackwell Grange Golf Club, on Snipe Lane in Darlington, following an armed robbery on Saturday night appeared determined to play on.

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

The Northern Echo revealed on Sunday that police were launching a major investigation into what happened.

Today, officers confirmed nobody was hurt in the raid and victims were receiving support.

But despite Saturday night’s terrifying raid, golfers at the club remained defiant that it would not spoil their enjoyment of the sport, as they braved the bad weather yesterday afternoon.

“It was a shock when we found out,” said one golfer.

“But it is business as usual for us – we are just here to have a good round,” he added.

Staff were closing up the golf club at around 10.15pm on Saturday when they were confronted by the raiders, who escaped with a number of items and a “substantial” amount of money from the clubhouse.

Speaking following the raid, Ian Knight, the club’s general manager said it had been a “very frightening ordeal”, but declined to comment further while the police continue to hunt the offenders.

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.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Durham Police on 101, quoting incident number 590 of September 23.

Alternatively information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.