MASKED raiders attacked a York pub's assistant manager before tying him up and escaping with cash.

Dominic Harteveld, assistant manager at The Windmill pub, in Blossom Street, was cashing up early today when the two masked men appeared.

Police said one of them punched him in the face, then he was tied up as the two escaped with "an amount of cash."

A police spokesman said: "He managed to free himself and raised the alarm twenty minutes later. He was then taken to York District Hospital to be treated for a mouth wound."

Police investigations were today under way at The Windmill, which has now closed for eight weeks to be refurbished.

Acting manageress Jayne Butler said she was "trying to get her head around" what had gone on.

She said: "It is such a shock. It could have been me up there as I was working, but most of us had finished and gone home by then and Dominic was locking up on his own.

"With us being refurbished some of the rooms aren't being used so we think they might have hidden somewhere before appearing.

"We just hope he is all right. He was very shaken up, as you would expect, after being tied up and hit. It is not a very pleasant thing to have to deal with at all.

"You don't like to think about it, do you, but I'm trying to get my head around things."

Mr Harteveld was recovering at his parents' home today.

One of the attackers is said to have been wearing a red balaclava and black jacket, his accomplice a white cap and red jacket.

Anyone with any information is asked to ring York CID on 01904 631321.

Mr Harteveld said: "I was cashing up when I heard a noise. I went downstairs and was confronted by two men.

"They took me back to the office, demanded money and tied me up to a chair.

"The rope was wrapped around my wrists and body. I just did everything they told me to do. I was absolutely terrified.

"They went mad and started shouting when they realised there wasn't as much money as they thought.

"They punched me in the face and smashed my mobile so I couldn't make any calls.

"I used my head to move a pair of scissors across the desk and cut the rope.

"I made it across to Fleetways taxis, still partly tied up, and they called the police."

"I am still very shaken up and will take a break from work for a while."

The pub is owned by Scottish & Newcastle breweries.

Their spokeswoman, Tanya Wilson, said: "We can confirm there was a robbery at the Windmill Inn last night.

"There were no customers on the premises at the time. We are helping police with their inquiries."

Updated: 14:14 Tuesday, August 28, 2001