ARMED thieves held two men hostage at gunpoint as they robbed a shop in Muswell Hill. The robbery at WHSmith in Broadway is the latest in a line of violent attacks in Muswell Hill in recent months. The two masked men entered the store at 6.15pm on Saturd

ARMED thieves held two men hostage at gunpoint as they robbed a shop in Muswell Hill.

The robbery at WHSmith in Broadway is the latest in a line of violent attacks in Muswell Hill in recent months.

The two masked men entered the store at 6.15pm on Saturday, after it had closed. They threatened two male members of staff, tying them up and assaulting one with what appeared to be a handgun.

The suspects took a quantity of cash and left through the rear of the store into Avenue Mews. The injured staff member was taken to the Whittington hospital with a head injury and later discharged.

A manager at the store said: "Both members of staff were very shaken up. We're doing all we can to make staff feel as secure as possible. Measures have been put in place to make staff and customers feel safe."

One such measure is that security company New World is to provide a guard at the door of the shop.

A series of robberies have taken place in Muswell Hill over recent weeks, raising traders' fears about the safety of the area.

Anita Mazzotta, manager of kitchen shop The Scullery, next door to WHSmiths, said: "This makes me feel quite insecure. It's just horrible. If it happened there, it could happen here."

One suspect wore a black leather jacket and a striped balaclava. The other wore a blue jacket and dark coloured balaclava.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Tina Young or DS Shaun Carre-Brown from the Haringey Robbery Squad on 020- 8345 0870 or, to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.