A businessman has spoken of his shock after his company was targeted by a gang of armed robbers dressed in clown masks last night.

The incident happened at Express Cuisines, Unit 1, Sunnyside Business Centre at approximately 7.10pm when three men burst into the reception.

Express Cuisine is one of the biggest Halal sandwich companies in the region supplying to businesses across the UK.

Sohel Patel, Owner told Asian Image, “They drove into office car park and pulled up into reception “Three men with clown masks on and they began to threaten staff and punched one of man.”

The gang then asked staff to find the keys to the safe.

Mr Patel said, “The staff did not know where the keys to the safe were so they started to turn over the desks and go through the draws.

“Eventually, they decided they would take the whole safe itself. They started to drag it across the floor and managed to lift it into the vehicle.

“One robber also ripped open the telephone system thinking it was the CCTV box.”

The gang then drove only a few yards before they realised something was wrong and stopped.

As they attempted to close the doors to the van the screen smashed in the panic. They did however drive off with the safe.

Mr Patel said he was glad no-one else was injured, “One of the staff was badly injured when he was punched in the face.

“It has come as a great shock to everyone. We have been established for seventeen years and this is the first time anything like this has happened.

“Police responded pretty quickly and were here within five minutes.”