A gang of Albanian assassins murdered a rival in a feud over the right to steal from London's parking meters, a court has heard.

Two gunmen burst into a packed social club in north west London and sent members diving for cover as they sprayed the hall with bullets, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Prel Marku, 22, was shot dead and two other men, Petrit Brahoj and Acron Gjoni, were seriously injured at the private club in Park Royal.

Lulzim Bici, aged 21, of Ardgowan Road, Lewisham; Kujtim Spahiu, aged 33, of Boxgrove Road, Abbey Wood and Muhammed Mehmeti, aged 23, from North Harrow, are on trial.

They are charged with but deny the murder of Mr Marku and the attempted murder of Mr Brahoj, Mr Gjoni and club owner Musa Prammani, who jumped through a window to escape.

A fourth man, Herland Bilali, is alleged to have been the lead gunman in the shooting but has never been traced by police.

The jury heard rival groups of Albanians are engaged in territorial clashes over who gets to rake in millions of pounds by raiding parking meters in London's West End.

Prosecuter Christopher Kinch said: "Believe it or not, theft from parking meters has been very big business and there is a lot of money to be made from it.

"Westminster Council's projected loss from parking meters for the financial year which has just ended is more than £1.2m.

"A single meter can have between £60 and £85 in it, so it all adds up."

No guns have been found but the jury was told there is evidence to suggest both gunmen who raided the club were carrying weapons.

Mr Kinch said the two gunmen were Spahiu and Herland Bilali, while Bici and Mehmeti were waiting in a VW Golf getaway car.

He added after the shooting, the four men headed north on the M1 and were spotted on CCTV in Newport Pagnell service station in Milton Keynes at 3.30am and South Woodhall services in Yorkshire at 5am.

Mr Kinch said he believes Spahiu and Bilali were dropped off in Manchester, where they "went to ground".

Spahiu was arrested in Manchester on November 11 last year while Bici and Mehmeti were arrested separately in London on November 2.

The court also heard Mehmeti told police he knew what had happened but claimed he and Bici left before the shooting. The trial continues.