More than 20 women were locked in a Shifnal scout hut after raiders seized a sports bag and car keys, jammed the door shut with a screwdriver and stole a car from outside.

They made off in the fitness club leader’s red Audi A3, leaving the women stranded.

The group – several of whom are in their 60s – were unaware of what was going on and only realised they were trapped when the class was over.

One had to escape through the fire exit in the dark to rescue the others.

The incident, at the building in Curriers Lane, happened between 7.45pm and 8.45pm on Wednesday.

The club leader, a 32-year-old from Shifnal who is 38 weeks pregnant with her second child and her members, were left in shock.

“In my situation it hasn’t done me any favours. It has obviously been planned and I’m disappointed. It seems like nobody can be trusted,” said the woman, who asked not to be named.

“It was the way we came out of the class and found out they had locked us in.”

Her husband, a 29-year-old sales manager, said he was furious at the way the crime had been committed and offered a £100 reward for information leading to the arrest of the criminals.

He said: “It is just another car crime, but the fact that anyone is locking 20 ladies into a building using a screwdriver is terrible.

“We have both lived in Shifnal all our lives and this sort of thing didn’t seem to happen here.”

Two mobile phones, around £130 cash, keys to the hut and important information on his wife’s business were also in the sports bag. The car’s registration was LY05 ZPU.

Police have asked anyone who has seen the vehicle since the incident or has any other information to contact them on 08457 444888.