A woman held up at gunpoint by a gang of masked men has vowed not to let the raiders' actions beat her.

Lorraine Tucker, 45, was one of four people at Scholes Sports and Social Club in Cleckheaton on Sunday night when three men burst in demanding cash. One was brandishing a gun, the second a hammer and the third man a crowbar.

She believes the men targeted the club because of a busy Bradford Bulls charity cricket match held there earlier in the day.

"Everybody had just gone and I was about to set the alarm when they burst in," said the mother-of-two.

"There were three of them and they were very aggressive, shouting and swearing. One had a gun in my face and was screaming: 'Give me the keys to the safe'." A customer and his two young sons, aged nine and 11, were also caught up in the harrowing ordeal. They had stayed behind to walk Mrs Tucker home.

"He was shouting 'don't shoot my boys' and the boys were begging them not to shoot their dad. The men just said they wouldn't hurt us if we gave them the money. They must have known it was me who worked at the club, because they targeted me. When they had emptied the safe they insisted there must be more, but I said 'I promise you there isn't any more'. They must have been expecting the Bulls money to be here too, but the club had taken theirs with them."

Mrs Tucker, who has worked at the sports and social club for two years, is now back working behind the bar and in a defiant mood.

"I won't let them beat me or put me off because that would mean they've won. Everyone at the club and the committee has rallied round and I want to thank them. People worked so hard the whole day and they've just come in and wiped us out. They got the week's takings and money saved for the community bonfire we hold in November," she said.

The robbers got away with thousands but less than the £8,000 to £10,000 originally thought. The fun day was organised by The Bulls to raise money for their nominated charity, the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation. The charity helps young children with brain damage and who suffer severe intellectual and physical disabilities.

The entire team had attended the event which drew massive crowds. Luckily the rugby league club had taken their share of the day's proceeds with them.

The three men raided the clubhouse at 11.15pm and were all wearing balaclavas and gloves. Two of them are thought to be Asian. Police have condemned the robbery as "despicable". Anyone with information is asked to call Dewsbury CID on (01924) 431085 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.