At Swindon Crown Court today, Tommy Burton, 27, of Navigator Close, Hilperton and Gary McKenzie, 26, of The Halve, Trowbridge, were jailed for carrying out the raid at 3.45pm on December 10, armed with a 12-inch bladed sickle and a hatchet axe.

Tommy Burton was jailed for seven years

The duo pounced on Daniel Cox, 64, as he checked the men's toilets on the station, used cable ties to bound his wrists and threatened him, hitting him on the hand and foot with the axe and cutting him with the sickle.

At one point Burton swung the axe at Mr Cox's foot and as he demanded the combination for the lock on the booking office, he said: "I will really hurt you if you don't tell me."

Mr Cox was saved when two 16-year-old skateboarders, Paul Ireland and Ben McInnes disturbed the robbers and raised the alarm.

But he was left with severe bruising to his hands and wrists and a broken toe. The robbers also stole his gold bracelet.

Burton was sentenced to seven years for robbery, as well as five years for attempted burglary and three years for wielding an offensive weapon, which will run concurrently alongside the seven-year term.

McKenzie was sentenced to four years for robbery, as well as two years for wielding an offensive weapon, to run alongside the four-year term. Both admitted all the offences.

Gary McKenzie was jailed for four years

Detective Constable Steve Eyers, of the British Transport Police, said: "The victim was simply doing his job when he was attacked and subjected to an extremely frightening ordeal by these two men who are now behind bars.

Detectives immediately reviewed CCTV from the station and identified Burton amd McKenzie as the offenders. Both the men were known to police and we had them in custody by the following day.

Officers attended McKenzie's address to arrest him and found him wearing the clothes seen on CCTV. Faced with this irrefutable evidence he pleaded guilty in court."