A real-life soap drama took place when the former Emmerdale pub in Esholt was robbed at the weekend.

The 173-year-old Woolpack pub was robbed at 2.15am on Sunday when two men broke into the bar and threatened the occupants.

A police spokesman said: "The incident happened at 2.15am on Sunday. There was a robbery at the premises.

"A 22-year-old man and an 18-year-old man have been arrested in connection with it.

"They have both been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

"One male suffered slight injuries."

It is a storyline that not even the Emmerdale scriptwriters have used before on the long-running Yorkshire Television soap opera, which now films at Harewood.

The fictional pub has been set on fire but never robbed.

Only the village post office on the soap has ever been robbed and that was five years ago.

An Emmerdale archivist said: "To my knowledge there hasn't been a robbery at The Woolpack before, only at the post office.

"This is a first."

The Woolpack pub was built in 1830 and is famed for been the only real pub to have been used in a British soap.

It was the popular village pub in television soap Emmerdale until 1996, when a replica pub and set was created on the Harewood Estate in Leeds.

The pub, which was formerly called The Commercial, is run by Brian and Jennifer Pickard, who have another 20 years left on their lease.

Last year its owners since 1906, Bradford Council, tried to sell it at auction, they were hoping for £500,000 but when the asking price was not reached they withdrew it for the time being.

The pub has been the backdrop for many famous scenes including the fire of 1988, fights, marriage proposals, plotting and parties.

The Main Street pub has coaches of tourists visiting every week due to its international fame, with many of them asking for their picture to be taken behind the bar.

Last October the Finnish Emmerdale fan club visited the pub.