MASKED gunmen terrified three couples when they stormed into a popular Darwen club late on Saturday night.

Five men wearing balaclavas and brandishing a sawn-off shotgun escaped with £800 after raiding Darwen's Subscription Bowling Club.

Club steward Keith Woods was with his wife and two other couples when the raiders burst into the club.

He said: "One of them was holding a sawn off shotgun and they were screaming at us to sit down and shut up. It was a very frightening experience.

"They made me go behind the bar and get the takings from the till, they also wanted the keys for the safe but I didn't have them."

Mr Woods, who has been running the club off Anyon Street since last November, added: "These men seemed to know what they were doing because they knew I was the steward and picked me out straight away.

"I didn't want to do anything stupid because there was no way I was going to get myself shot."

Detectives are calling for anyone who was in the area at the time of the robbery to contact them as soon as possible.

Detective Sergeant Pete Broome, of Blackburn CID, said: "These men were prepared to use violence. It is important that they are caught as soon as possible and we would like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious.

"These men must have been travelling in at least one car and we would appeal to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area around the club between 11.30pm and 12.30am on Saturday to contact us immediately."

The raiders struck shortly after midnight on Saturday. All four men were wearing dark clothing, balaclavas and gloves. One witness said the gunman spoke with a local accent.

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