Terrified betting shop staff thought they were going to die when a raider threatened to shoot them.

Thomas Moss leapt over the counter at bookies Coral and grabbed manager Kevin Martin.

He put Mr Martin in a headlock and ordered him and terrified colleague Debbie Cooke not to push their panic button.

Moss shouted at Miss Cooke: "Don't call the police or I will shoot him."

He pulled Mr Martin towards the door of the shop in Gossops Green Parade, Crawley, and demanded money.

Mr Martin told police: "I felt something digging into my back and thought it was a gun."

Customer Steve Whelan was in the bookies placing a bet when he heard what he thought was a row.

He heard Moss tell Mr Martin: "I have got a gun. I will shoot you."

Mr Whelan started to call the police on his mobile phone and told Moss: "You ain't getting out."

At that point Moss jumped back over the counter and hit Mr Whelan twice on the side of the face.

As the two men struggled Mr Martin took a bundle of cash from the safe.

Moss grabbed it from him and walked out of the shop and the door was locked behind him.

Police arrested Moss nearby a few minutes later and found £2,400 stuffed down the front of his jeans.

Alan Gardner, prosecuting, said all the money was recovered after the robbery on April 24, last year. (06) The raid was captured by the shop's security cameras which helped identify Moss.

Moss, 43, of Smithwood Close, Wimbledon, London, admitted robbery when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court yesterday. (thu) Ian Hepburn-Scott, defending, said the father-of-three realised his victims must have been terrified.

He added: "However, he did not have a gun and did not intend to shoot anybody.

"He was wearing a ring on his finger and it must have been that Mr Martin felt in his back."

Moss apologised for what he had done and said he could not remember what happened after taking valium and alcohol.

He added: "I want to apologise publicly to the victims. This was totally out of character for me."

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall jailed Moss for four yeas telling him: "It must have been very frightening for the two employees of Corals."