MASKED men broke into a popular family pub last weekend, before tying up and assaulting a woman worker in her forties, and escaping with thousands of pounds.

Two men wearing balaclavas broke into The Walnut Tree Hotel in North Petherton during the early hours of Saturday morning (June 4). They are though to have forced their way inside by breaking a window.

When the duo realised a night porter was on duty they chased her, tied her up and assaulted her, before making away with "quite a haul" - including the hotel safe, and thousands of pounds in cash.

The brazen crooks even stole the hotel owner's car to make their getaway.