A brave publican today vowed "business as usual" after knife-wielding robbers escaped with the weekend takings and all his young son's birthday money.

James Rawlinson, 28, was confronted by two raiders behind the bar at The Alexander, in Albion Road, Idle.

They had crept into the cellar and blacked out the building before thrusting an eight-inch bladed kitchen knife at Mr Rawlinson.

His partner Michelle Hobbs, 22, and their one-year-old son Ben were upstairs.

Plucky Mr Rawlinson said he was was thinking of tackling the raiders until the knife was produced.

With the weapon pointed inches from his stomach he agreed to reveal where the money was.

He was marched upstairs and robbed of a substantial amount of cash.

The raiders also seized his wallet containing £280 the couple had saved for Ben's second birthday on Sundaymay 20.

Mr Rawlinson shouted to Miss Hobbs to stay out of the way as he was forced upstairs to the kitchen of the living quarters.

Ben was sleeping in his room only yards away when the robbers again brandished the knife at Mr Rawlinson before fleeing.

Mr Rawlinson said he and Miss Hobbs had saved £280 to buy toys and clothes for Ben's birthday.

"That is what makes me so mad. Not content with stealing all our weekend takings, they even took my wallet containing all the money we had saved for Ben's birthday shopping trip," Mr Rawlinson said.

He and Miss Hobbs used to run The Wagon and Horses, in Leeds Road, Thornbury, Bradford.

It was their dream to move to a village pub and last December they opened The Alexander after it had been closed for seven months.

"We were determined to create a safe, friendly, pub for all ages. We are very busy and customers who have not been for years are returning.

"Locals and other publicans have been calling to offer support. The phone hasn't stopped ringing," Mr Rawlinson said.

Both he and Miss Hobbs are certain the robbers had inside knowledge.

"They said they had been watching us. We had no idea where the trip switch in the cellar was. Even the police took some time to find it," Mr Rawlinson said.

"We were terrified and now we are angry. I just wanted to hit them but then one pulled a knife out.

"We were too shaken to open yesterdaymon but were are reopening by Wednesday at the latest."

Miss Hobbs, who saw the knife as the thugs fled downstairs, said the couple would not be deterred.

"We were determined to create a friendly, family, pub. It was our dream to get a pub like this and we will not let them ruin it," she said Detective Inspector Gerry O'Shea, of Bradford North CID, who is leading the hunt for the robbers, appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.

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 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.

"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.

Anyone with any information, or who may have seen anything suspicious in the area at the time, is asked to contact Bradford North Police helpdesk on (01274) 376259 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.