A nurse has told a jury of her 'terrifying' ordeal when two armed robbers struck in the early hours at a nursing home.

Julie Harding wept as she recalled how a man put a gun to her head and threatened to "blow her brains out", during the 3.30am robbery at the Baytree Nursing Home in Worthing.

She said: "I felt very scared. I thought about my children and thought I was never going to see them again."

Wood Green Crown Court in London heard this was the second in a series of raids in which a gun was used. Another was on a late night store and the last at another nursing home in the area.

Daniel Lewis, 21, and his wife Emma, 20, formerly of Meadow Close, Durrington, who are currently living in a caravan at her grandmother's home in Bognor Regis, deny charges alongside his stepfather Kevin Isted, 43, of Kingsley Close, East Worthing.

Giving evidence, Mrs Harding said on the night of the attack she and staff were sitting in the lounge with the television on and chatting.

She said she saw two hooded men walking in from the hall, one armed with a handgun, the other with a baseball bat.

She told the court: "The one with the gun pointed it at my head and ordered the other two staff to join me. He said he'd blow my brains out if I didn't do what he said."

Mrs Harding said she was led into the office, ordered to open the safe and hand over staff wage packets and a box file containing residents' cash.

Mrs Harding said she recognised the voice of the gunman as Daniel Lewis, who had worked at the home.

Daniel and Emma Lewis deny robbing Julie Harding of £5,697.62 on April 15, last year and having an imitation .177 calibre pistol at the Baytree Nursing Home.

Daniel Lewis and Isted deny robbing Elliot Taylor of cash and cigarettes worth £240 on April 14, 2000, and having an imitation firearm at Alldays, Boxgrove Parade, Goring.

Both also deny attempted robbery on May 3, 2000, and having the imitation pistol as well as stealing a handbag and contents on the same date belonging to Carole O'Neil, at the Madeira Nursing Home, Madeira Avenue, Worthing.

Christine Laing, prosecuting, told the jury Isted admitted an act intending to pervert the course of justice.

The hearing continues.