A PUB boss who wrestled a hammer from armed robbers as his heavily pregnant partner lay upstairs has thanked the community for their support.

Bellemoor Tavern manager Steve Hurley confronted one of the masked gang of teenagers after they burst into his pub in Shirley.

He disarmed one of the gang members, who then fled the scene.

Last week, one of the teenagers, Jordan Peat, 18, was given an eight year extended prison sentence for his part in the attempted robbery.

The sentence also related to an armed robbery at a petrol station in North Baddesley, just hours before the pub raid.

Another gang member, 15, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also jailed for more than three years.

Now Mr Hurley has thanked the public for their support.

He said: “Fortunately incidents like this are extremely rare and we are grateful no-one at the pub was badly hurt.

“We’d like to thank the police and the courts for all their work in bringing these criminals to justice.

“It has been business as usual at the pub since this happened and we’d like to thank our community for their fantastic support.”

Southampton Crown Court heard how the masked raiders, one wielding a hammer, targeted the BP garage in Botley Road, North Baddesley on September 8.

The gang stole £8,000 of cigarettes and a car belonging to an employee of the garage.

Hours later, the group, masked once more and one wielding a hammer, burst into the Bellemoor Tavern as Mr Hurley and his staff were closing up.

Mr Hurley wrestled the hammer from one of the group, who then fled.

An impact statement was read out in court on behalf of Mr Hurley, in which he described the incident as the “worst experience” in his 12 years in the industry.

In the statement, Mr Hurley said he and his partner lived upstairs from the pub, and she was seven months pregnant at the time of the raid.

He said: “This is not just my work, it is my home and it left us scared and petrified.

“My wife was upstairs and she was seven months pregnant.

“It left me seriously considering my career because my wife was not sure she still wanted to live at the pub.”

In sentencing, Judge Christopher Parker described the gang as “cowardly”.

He said: “You young men, as a gang, all masked up and with a hammer, burst into that garage and threatened the staff member and kicked him and pushed him into an office,

“But you didn’t stop there, you carried on and not long after went on to the Bellemoor Tavern.

“One staff member was a woman who was petrified by your stupid and cowardly behaviour.”

A third gang member, 17, who did not attend court, is due to be sentenced next month.