The manager of a jewellers has praised his staff for their reactions after an armed robbery was thwarted.

Sam Brown, manager at Lister Horsfall in Brook Street, Ilkley, said staff quickly managed to get a metal shutter down to stop sledgehammer-wielding raiders breaking in last Wednesday.

The offenders left empty-handed after failing to gain entry to the shop in the second raid on the store in nine months.

Last September, robbers gained entry through the front door and stole about £400,000 of watches and jewellery. Following the incident security measures were installed and helped prevent a repeat.

Mr Brown said he was pleased the security measures did their job and no-one was injured in the incident, which occurred shortly after 10am.

“I’m really pleased with how the staff reacted in getting the grill down over the door,” he said.

Detectives investigating the incident are appealing for information about a stolen car, with fake number plates, used by the would-be thieves to make their getaway.

The grey BMW X1 had been stolen from a house in Bradford between May 24 and 25.

Detective Inspector Richard Partis, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: “We are conducting a number of inquiries into this attempted robbery. Officers were on scene very quickly following this attempted robbery and have also now recovered the stolen BMW X1 4x4-style vehicle used in the offence, which was carrying registration plates AU61 SB0.

“We are very keen to hear from anyone who has seen this car being driven around the Bradford area since it was stolen or who has seen it in the Ilkley area.”

During the incident, three masked raiders tried to break into the business through the door and side windows with sledgehammers.

When they failed to get in, they fled in the BMW along Wells Road. The vehicle was later discovered in Crossbeck Road.

A police spokesman said the car’s original registration was YD10 AWH.

Det Insp Partis said: “We have already received a number of calls from residents and we are grateful for all the information received so far.”

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Airedale and North Bradford CID on 101 or CrimeStoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.