TWO women were subjected to a horrifying ordeal this week by a masked gangster trio who hid in an attic for more than two hours before they robbed a Lancaster pub. The thieves laid low in the attic of the Sun Hotel on Church Street in the early hours of Monday morning before they raided nearly £2,000 of cash and £1,000 worth of jewellery. Sixteen-year-old Amanda Bowes, who was staying at the pub that night, disturbed the thieves while she was locking up for the night.

She was thrown to the floor, dragged up the stairs and bundled into the bedroom of acting landlady Kate Hughes.

Amanda, who works at Mark One, said: "I was walking up the stairs when they pounced on me. I can't remember what was going through my mind it happened so quickly, I think I was in shock and I was laughing with fear."

Kate told the Citizen the thieves must have crept into her room while she was asleep and stole the pub takings, which were next to her bed, before they were disturbed by Amanda.

Kate added: "I was sound asleep when they burst into the room shouting: 'Where's the money?' One of them knelt on my chest and I punched him in the face and I think I hurt him. Amanda was sitting on the side of the bed shivering with fear."

The thieves scoured Kate's bedroom and stole her jewellery before they escaped out of the pub by crashing a chair through the window.

Police have discovered evidence that the thieves had been lurking up in the dark attic for several hours after sneaking in through a side door. One of them had even stuck his foot through the ceiling.

Kate added: "It's just frightening to think that they were up there listening to what we were saying. I was absolutely terrified. I just kept telling them not to hurt Amanda."

Kate, who works at the pub part-time, was standing in for licensee Carol Barnes who's on holiday at Butlin's in Wales.

Det Sgt Tracey Launder said: "We are appealing for any witnesses to come forward. All three offenders were disguised with stockings on their heads."

Ring Lancaster CID on 63333 if you can help them with their inquiries.

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