Masked armed robbers raided a West Hendon pub after it closed on Sunday holding the landlord and manager at gunpoint before escaping with a quantity of cash.

Armed police were called to The World's End in York Parade, West Hendon Broadway, at 11.35pm by licensee Jason Granville after he and the pub's manager confronted two men one wearing a grey balaclava, the other a blue ski-mask who had forced their way into the first-floor office.

West Hendon Broadway was cordoned off around the pub while armed officers searched the area for the robbers, although no-one was found.

"It is rather worrying," said Mr Granville. "It affected me more the next day, because of all the adrenaline at the time. I was more concerned about the manager.

"This is not the first time this has happened to me. I have been robbed at gunpoint three times, twice in Mexico, and once in Brazil. This is the first time in this country. It was not nice, staring down the barrel of a gun."

A police spokeswoman said the robber armed with a handgun was black, 5ft 8ins, of athletic build, and wore a blue tracksuit top. His accomplice was white, 5ft 6ins, of stocky build and wore a black jacket and blue jeans.

It is not known how they got away or which direction they went in. A spokeswoman said. "We need to speak to witnesses who saw two men running away from the scene or getting into a vehicle."

Witnesses should call the Robbery Unit at Colindale Police Station on 020 8733 5823.