A group of men have been arrested after a “violent” armed robbery at a games arcade.

Cashino, in the High Road, Wood Green, was broken into by two men carrying knives at around 3.30am this morning.

The men threatened and attacked two of the arcade’s staff before stealing a large amount of cash from the safe. A third man stood guard outside. All three men then escaped by car.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s commercial armed robbery unit, Flying Squad, later spotted the car coming off the A406 and forced it to stop on Ilford Hill.

The five men inside, aged 17, 18, 19, 21 and 45, were all arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob, and are currently in custody in a north London police station.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Ellen, of the Flying Squad unit, said: "This robbery was aggressive and, we believe, pre-planned.

"The violent and forceful entry into the casino is characteristic of a number of robberies at similar venues which we are investigating. In these robberies, significant quantities of cash have also been taken."

The two arcade workers were treated at the scene but had suffered no major injuries.