'Pulp Fiction' raid on diners

Armed robbers who held up terrified diners at gunpoint in a London restaurant are today being hunted by police.

In a raid reminiscent of a scene from the film Pulp Fiction, the thieves held a gun to a customer's head as they forced diners to hand over money, mobile phones and other belongings.

The robbers, who also used the gun to threaten one of the waiters, made their victims put all their possessions on the dining tables - reducing women to tears as they forced them to hand over their wedding rings.

A senior flying squad officer described the robbery at Rosmarino in St John's Wood as "audacious and outrageous".

He said: "It is the first time we have heard of diners in an expensive restaurant being robbed while they were eating."

Police believe the men targeted the restaurant because of its wealthy clientele. Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills dined there when they first became romantically involved.

The two robbers - one armed with a handgun, the other a knife - burst in at about 10pm on Sunday. One of them grabbed a waiter and threatened to kill him unless staff and customers handed over all their possessions.

No one was hurt during the raid, in which about seven people were robbed, although staff and customers were said to be badly shaken.

A member of staff who was working downstairs in the kitchen at the time of the attack described hearing "loud crashing sounds" as tables in the restaurant were knocked over, followed by "a tremendous thud" as a waiter was thrown to the ground.

The worker, who did not want to be named, did not see the attack, but told how a customer ran into the kitchen asking for help as the robbers fled with hundreds of pounds in cash and other valuables.

The staff member said: "The first thing we knew about the attack in the kitchen was when a customer came running downstairs and said there had been a robbery.

"He was really scared and speaking very rapidly. The whole raid happened so quickly.

"I heard a lot of footsteps, shouting and the scraping of tables. Then there was a bang when the waiter was thrown to the floor."

He said staff and customers had been "traumatised" by the attack, adding that waiters who had been working that night had been given today off to rest.

Speaking as staff started clearing away the damage, he said: "I think we will be considering having bouncers on the door after this."

The restaurant is one of a number including the Michelin-starred Zafferano, in Knightsbridge, owned by Giuliano Lotto. It was closed last night. Linda Larocca, operational director of Mr Lotto's company, , said: "We are glad nobody was hurt. It was an awful thing to happen."

Police said the robbers are both aged about 25. The gunman is described as black, 5ft 8ins, of stocky build, and was wearing a dark balaclava and a grey tracksuit.

The second man is white, 5ft 6ins, slim, and was wearing a black balaclava and a red or orange tracksuit top.

Officers from Barnes flying squad are investigating and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 020 8247 7931, or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The raid was similar to the opening and closing scenes in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, in which an armed couple hold up a diner before the hitmen, played by John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson, pull out their own guns and take control of the situation.