Police were today hunting two knife-wielding robbers who threatened a Bradford pub manager before fleeing with the weekend takings.

The raiders struck at The Alexander, in Albion Road, Idle, by creeping into the cellar and fused the lights blacking out the building.

Detective Inspector Gerry O'Shea, of Bradford North CID, said the pub manager was confronted by the robbers in the bar at 11.30pm.

The 29-year-old had closed the pub and was cashing up when the building was suddenly plunged into darkness.

The manager's 22-year-old partner was upstairs when the men burst into the bar and demanded the takings.

One was carrying an eight-inch-bladed kitchen knife which he used to threaten his victim.

The manager was forced upstairs to his living quarters and made to hand over "a substantial amount of cash".

His partner saw the shadows of the robbers as they fled.

The knifeman is described as white, stocky, and just under 6ft tall. He wore a dark baseball cap, gloves, dark Adidas trouser bottoms with three stripes and white training shoes.

His accomplice was slightly taller. He is also white and stocky and he wore a dark hood with a Nike logo and a dark ski mask. He spoke with a local accent.

Det Insp O'Shea said the robbers might have been into the pub before as customers.

"From the method that they used in gaining entry to the pub and gaining access to the electrical fuses, it may be that the offenders have local knowledge or have been in the pub previously.

"Thankfully, no one was injured but it must have been a very frightening experience," he said.

He added that more than £300 of the robbers' haul was in £1 coins. He asked people look out for anyone using a large number of £1 coins when making a payment.

Det Insp O'Shea also appealed to anyone with any information, or who may have seen anything suspicious in the area at the time, to contact the Bradford North Police helpdesk on (01274) 376259 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.