Raiders broke into a Shropshire pub in the early hours of today, snatching more than £3,000 in cash and jewellery while the occupants slept just feet away.

The thieves forced a small window at The Horseshoes pub, Holyhead Road, Ketley, Telford, at about 4.45am before accessing the pub’s living quarters.

Landlord John Corbett and wife Darlene were awoken by an alarm and switched on a CCTV system, only to see the men leaving the pub and getting into a silver saloon car.

The gang escaped with two cash boxes containing more than £1,000, two bracelets and a selection of gold rings worth about £2,000.

Mrs Corbett, who has been at the pub for 33 years, said: “We never heard a thing. We are just grateful that we were not harmed because our bedroom is just 24ft from the living room where the robbers broke in.”

Chris Ammonds, of Telford police, said: “The occupants of the pub were asleep and they were woken by the alarm, which notifies them when there is movement outside the rear of the pub. They saw three men dressed in dark-coloured clothing escaping in a silver saloon car.”

One of the cash boxes was recovered a couple of hours later, having been dumped by the main road from Waters Upton to Great Bolas. Police are today examining the scene of the robbery.