TWO masked men escaped with £30,000 when they robbed a security van at gunpoint.

The Securicor van was attacked as it delivered money to a cashpoint machine in a busy supermarket.

The robbers struck shortly after 1pm last Friday when the van pulled up outside the entrance to the Tesco store on Western Avenue, Ealing.

As the security guards began unloading cash boxes a man got out of a car which was parked adjacent to the van and threatened the guard with a small black handgun.

The attacker pushed the gun into the back of the 22-year-old security guard and shouted at him to drop the box. The robber picked up the box before geting back into the car which was driven off at speed by a second man.

The security guards were not injured in the raid.

The gunman is described as white, aged about 25 and 6ft 1ins tall. He was wearing dark blue jeans, a black jacket, white trainers and a black balaclava. He had short dark hair.

The driver is also described as white, aged 25 and about 6ft 3ins tall.

He was wearing a dark jacket, a black balaclava and had dark hair.

The robbers made off in a blue or turquoise coloured Audi estate car, registration T52VAE. The vehicle was was stolen from Shrewsbury on October 16.

A police spokesman said: "We are keen to trace the car used in the robbery and would appeal to anyone who might have seen it between October 16 and now to contact the police. We would urge members of the public not to approach the car or its occupants but to contact the police immediately."

Call Ealing Crimedesk on 020 8246 1182 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.