A SCHOOLGIRL screamed "please don't hurt my dad" as axe-wielding burglars broke in and pointed a gun at her before attacking him, a court heard today.

Paul Robertson, 39, died after he and at least three other masked men burst into Daniel Wood's flat all shouting “armed police”.

Daniel was in the flat above his business in Ockendon, Essex, with wife Claire and two of their three children, aged 13 and four when she heard a commotion.

Claire went downstairs to the first-floor lounge and saw a man shutting the blinds and her partner flat on the floor with two men on top of him, Basildon Crown Court heard.

She told jurors: "I thought it was the police at first until I saw axes.

"I ran straight over to the kids. I put my dressing gown straight over the kids.

"Danny said, 'Do as they say' and they pushed me back, pushed me into the bedroom."

She explained she could hear her husband "screaming, shouting, begging" as the gang allegedly shouted "where's your money, where's your f****** money".

The mum added: "The [children] were just eyes bolt open, sweat pouring off of them, shaking, one of them screamed out, 'Please don't hurt my dad'."

A man said "you've got five f****** seconds sweetheart, five f****** seconds", she said, adding that he pointed a gun directly at her 13-year-old daughter and started counting down.

The gang ripped Daniel's diamond engagement ring from his finger and grabbed £900 from a wardrobe in the December raid.

He was assaulted and tied up with cable ties but managed to break free. He was ordered to lie on the floor while the axe was swung around his feet, it was said.

The men then fled after mistaking flashing blue Christmas lights for police and Claire raised the alarm with neighbours.

One of the intruders, later identified as Robertson, was found dead at the bottom of the stairs.

The court was told the gun later turned out to be an imitation firearm.

Jurors were earlier told three men - Joseph Pearl, Jerome Johnson and Harrison Fryer — had admitted their part in the raid.

Michael Williams, 36, and 31-year-old Christopher Salvador deny aggravated burglary and possession of an imitation firearm during the time of an offence.

Claire accepted today she smoked cannabis occasionally and had a small amount in the house when asked by prosecutor Cyrus Shroff.

But she denied there were "drugs coming in and out of my house" when asked if her husband "deals drugs" from the launderette.

The trial continues.