A couple were left terrified after a masked gang armed with a sledgehammer and pickaxe broke into their home and stole almost £1 million of luxury goods.

CCTV has captured the moment five robbers smashed their way into the property in the affluent neighbourhood of Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, on December 4. 

Once inside, the male homeowner attempted to confront the intruders but was attacked with the sledgehammer.

He was then pinned to a sofa as the gang demanded to know where valuables were kept and how to access a safe.

The man was forced to retrieve the safe keys and open the vault, which contained a collection of luxury watches.

His wife was subsequently dragged upstairs by the intruders and forced to reveal where the rest of the couple’s watches were stored.

The haul included timepieces from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Breitling, TAG Heuer, Hublot and Tissot.

They also stole designer handbags from brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Jimmy Choo and Chanel.

One of the most distinctive items stolen was a white Chanel ‘Boy’ handbag, which is sold exclusively in Milan.

CCTV footage captured the moment five masked thugs forced entry into the Nottingham home

Watches from luxury brands like Rolex, TAG Heuer and Breitling were stolen by the gang

A Chanel ‘Boy’ handbag, only sold in Milan, was among the most distinguishable pieces that was stolen

Mobile phones and a purse containing bank cards were also taken before the gang fled the scene.

Nottinghamshire Police say the raid has left the couple facing losses of around £1million, including in stolen items and damage caused to their property.

Officers said CCTV footage later showed the offenders entering woodland to the north of the property as they made their escape.

Crimestoppers is now offering a reward of up to £7,500 for information they exclusively receive that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Detective Constable James Gill said: ‘This was a vicious and frightening incident and it’s very fortunate the victims did not sustain even more serious injuries.

‘Following the burglary, the offenders were seen on CCTV to enter woodland to the north of the property.

‘Through automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera enquiries, a grey hatchback vehicle using false plates was identified on the nearby A610, driving in the Nottingham area between 7.21pm and 7.49pm on Thursday 4 December.

‘We believe that, post-offence, the vehicle travelled out of Nottinghamshire and then went through Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Warwickshire, before entering the West Midlands region.’