Armed robbers put staff and customers at a Coventry newsagent through a horrifying ordeal early today.

The two men raided the Forbuoys shop in Scotchill, Keresley around 6.20 am. One had a handgun and the other was wielding an extendable baton.

A woman member of staff was struck as staff and an elderly male customer were shepherded into a back room. Raiders then made off and police are trying to establish what was stolen.

The shop worker was taken to Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital while the customer was unhurt but deeply shocked.

The raider with the baton was between 20-22-years-old, thick set, and was wearing a red balaclava, a reddish pullover with white writing and dark jeans.

The second man was the same age, slightly built and had a pink, red and "washed out" balaclava and black jeans.

Police are appealing for anyone with any information to contact the Stony Stanton Road station on 01203 539020.

The raid came just a day after five masked gunmen put a steward at a working mens’s club through a five hour ordeal.

The raiders marched the steward from his home to the Rowleys Green Working Mens’s Club before robbing gaming machines and the club safe.

The 25-year-old steward was discovered by cleaners at 9am the next morning.

The West Midlands Police Authority today revealed that robbery rates in the north and east of the city have risen by 60 per cent in the last year. There were 50 more robberies in the area between Keresley and Wood End in 1998 than the previous year.

DCI Peter Carlin told CWN:

"The robbery figures for this side of Coventry have increased over the last year but we did start from a very low base during the previous year.

"Figures fluctuate from month to month and we do not believe there is an upward trend with robberies but we are concerned there has been an increase in armed robberies which are part of the figures given and not counted separately.

"To deal with this we have set up a robbery incident room with officers dedicated to dealing with these crimes. All units are liaising together and will, when the need arises, supply officers to man this room."