A landlord has described the moment he bashed a burglar over the head with a mop and chased him out of his pub.

John Nelson, 57, lives above the Butterchurn in Erskine Road, Sutton, with his family.

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Mr Nelson armed with the mop

In the early hours of the morning on Monday, August 12, he was woken up by the alarm system going off in the pub.

He raced downstairs to find two masked men trying to break into a fruit machine.

Mr Nelson said: "I was in bed and the alarms went off. I came downstairs and there was a mop at the end of the bar. I could see them smashing the machine with a club hammer. 

"We can see their faces on the CCTV – so stupid – they were sitting underneath putting their gloves on. It reminds me of Dumb and Dumber.

"I ran at them and bashed one over the head with the mop. He got up and legged it.

"They both had masks on. They made off with £113 – was it really worth the risk?"

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The Butterchurn

The alarm system also alerted the police who turned up just moments after the burglars fled.

The police are appealing for help identifying two men captured on CCTV images during recent break-ins at two pubs targeting gaming machines.

The first set of images, taken from the Butterchurn, show the two men outside the pub and then Mr Nelson using the mop to chase them away.

The second set of images (below) are from the Fox and Hounds, High Street, Carshalton, on August 13 at 3.30am and show the suspects arriving and smashing through the front door before leaving the premises.

The Lord Nelson in North Cheam - was also broken into on July 29 and its gaming machines were targeted.

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Masked men outside the Fox and Hounds

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One man takes a tumble as he leaves the pub

If you know who the men are contact Sutton Police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.