TERRIFIED supermarket staff were "frozen to the spot" as a gang of armed raiders forced their way in brandishing weapons.

Morrisons staff had closed the store and were moving trolleys containing £14,000 of cigarettes when the raiders struck.

Manager John Quinn told how the raiders, wearing balaclavas, scarves and gloves, forced open the supermarket doors with crowbars and threatened staff with weapons.

Worker Wendy Cartlidge was treated by paramedics for breathing difficulties.

Paul Spratt, prosecuting, told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday that the last customer had left the Leek store at 8.30pm on January 21.

He said: "Wendy Cartlidge saw two figures with crowbars. The crowbars were used to force open the locks on the main door.

"They opened the door and immediately approached the secure area.

"John Quinn described one coming through with a crowbar at waist level. He took it as a threat it would be used. Other members of staff were fearful for their own safety."

The court heard two trolleys of cigarettes were loaded into a van, which had been reversed up to the store. Other gang members helped load the van.

Mr Quinn noted the registration details of the white van and an Audi and called police.

The court heard the blue Audi was later seen by police in Endon when it crashed into a telephone junction box.

Four people got out and police caught Ian Fieldhouse after he had climbed a garden fence. The other three men escaped.

It emerged the van had been abandoned near the store and the cigarettes were recovered.

Now Fieldhouse, aged 25, of Willenhall, in the West Midlands, has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after admitting burglary on the basis that he was a lookout.

He had only been out of prison for six weeks following a four-year sentence for robberies.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said Fieldhouse took part in the burglary to pay off a debt.

Judge Granville Styler questioned why Fieldhouse had not been charged with robbery.

He said: "You were part of a professional gang.

"This is you getting involved in division one crime and people who are prepared to do that have to realise the penalties are going to be severe."

Following yesterday's sentence, Mr Quinn said: "The staff were shook up, but all appear fine now."

A second man, Wayne Marsh, aged 27, of Wolverhampton, has been charged with burglary at the store and will appear at court on April 6.

A further three men are on police bail pending further inquiries.