THOUSANDS of pounds of cash were stolen from fruit machines during a pub break-in.

A burglar forced entry into the back of The Flower Pot pub, in Wood Street, Walthamstow, at about 5am on Sunday, damaging and raiding games machines and swiping cups, cutlery and till rolls.

Landlord Tony Leslie was asleep upstairs at the time, with his wife and 11-year-old son.

The thieves, whose faces were obscured by balaclavas, spent more than one hour ransacking the business of about £2,000, all of which was caught on the pub’s CCTV camera.

Mr Leslie said: “It is very worrying. You never think something like this will happen to you. I seem to be looking over my shoulder all the time now and take special care making sure everything is locked up. My family is worried about the way this area is going.”

Anyone with information about the crime can call Chingford Police on 8529 8666 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.