A terrified shop worker has told how machete-wielding raiders burst into a Bradford jeweller’s and escaped with up to £100,000 of gold.

The four-strong masked gang drove a 4x4 into the back of Kesser Jewellers in Oak Lane, Manningham, as assistants Ehtsham Dar and his 35-year-old nephew Sohaib were closing up for the evening.

The gang had smashed the vehicle through a low wall and into a metal security grille before breaking through a back door to get into the shop.

Mr Dar, 52, said: “They were wearing balaclavas and they came in an said ‘don’t move, don’t move’ and started shouting.

“I jumped out from behind the counter and got out of the shop and my nephew came with me.”

One of the raiders used his machete to smash a glass counter and he and another man started filling green garden waste bags with gold from the shop.

Another two men – one wearing a balaclava and the other a hooded top to conceal his face – took jewellery from the safe.

Between them, they filled two bags and even went back to get another two bags from the 4x4 before filling those up, said Mr Dar.

The gang then made off in the 4x4 with a haul of gold that police estimate to be valued between £50,000 and £100,000.

Mr Dar said: “They were holding machetes and they smashed the glass counter. Most of the jewellery was in the safe because we were packing up.

“The safe was open. It was an easy target for them to get everything.”

The shopkeeper revealed he had seen five men in a 4x4 parked across the road from the shop the night before the robbery, which happened on Saturday at about 6.30pm.

He said: “I saw a suspicious car on Friday. I had gone out of the shop to get some air and they switched off their car lights. Then on Saturday I saw it again about ten or 15 minutes before the robbery.”

The raiders were all white and were wearing black gloves, said Mr Dar. The two in the shop were both about 6ft tall.

Detectives investigating the robbery are appealing for witnesses. They said the area was still quite busy at that time of day. Detective Inspector Alan Flynn, of Bradford South CID, yesterday told the Telegraph & Argus police were particularly keen to trace the 4x4 vehicle.

He said: “There were several masked men who came in armed with machetes and the staff on site were terrified. They were closing up for the night and managed to get out of the way.

“It was a very frightening experience for them. We are appealing for witnesses and anyone who can help us find the 4x4 vehicle which rammed into the back of the premises.”

Zabair Akram, the owner of Kesser jewellers, which has another branch in White Abbey Road, Bradford, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Anyone with information about the raid should call Bradford South CID on (01274) 376488.