Guns, hammers and machetes, raiders are making betting shops on Tyneside their number-one targets.

There have been two raids already in 2009 and more than 20 robberies last year – an average of almost two a month.Police are appealing for information after three men armed with hammers stormed into the Chisholm bookie’s in Main Street, Crawcrook, on Sunday and took a small amount of cash.Two days before, three men armed with a hammer and crowbar jumped over the counter to steal an undisclosed quantity of cash at the Betfred shop in Helmsley Road, Sandyford, Newcastle.