A bank teller caught between armed robbers and their loot gave tense and emotional testimony yesterday.

"I stood there. I watched them take the money,'' Tammy Edness said slowly and carefully.

"Another person was standing at the front near the water cooler.

"He was holding a gun in his hand and I could see smoke coming from it,'' she added.

Ms Edness recalled the horrifying incident during day seven of the Supreme Court trial of Michael Eugene Dillas and Rupert Elroy Archibald.

Both men -- represented by Victoria Pearman and Archibald Warner, respectively -- are charged with two counts of armed robbery, and carrying and using weapons in the April 9 robbery of the Bank of Bermuda in Somerset last year.

Taking several deep breaths, Ms Edness told the nine-woman, three-man jury: "I was handing another employee a newspaper and then there was a loud bang.

"I didn't think much of it at the time, then I heard somebody shouting `Get down' or `Don't move', something like that.'' Ms Edness said she was rooted to her post as two masked men leaped over the counter and began helping themselves to cash.

"I was standing right beside him,'' she said. "There was a lot of screaming and people were running to the back of the branch.'' "He just basically dove in and started ripping everything apart,'' she added later.

Ms Edness made no mention of hearing the single gunshot fired.

Eventually she made her way to the rear of the bank.

"At first I tried to get into the manager's office, but it was locked,'' she explained.

"I thought about going under the table, but decided not to. Eventually, I went into the bathroom.'' And bank supervisor Diann Lindsay told the court each teller station held approximately BDA $15,000 and US $10,000 throughout the day.

But the cash also included "bait money'' -- bills which can traced by their registration numbers -- which was later found at Riddell's Bay.

Also in yesterday's proceedings, Mr. Warner continued his attack on the Crown witness and convicted bank robber Yusef Ameerbakka DeSilva.

DeSilva is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to participating in the April 9 robbery.

Earlier this week, DeSilva identified both Archibald and Dillas as his accomplices.

Yesterday, Mr. Warner said he met with DeSilva while he was in custody at the Westgate Correctional Facility.

According to Mr. Warner, DeSilva told a chamber colleague that neither Archibald nor Dillas were involved in the robbery.

"You wanted to know if you would have to give the names of the other two robbers,'' Mr. Warner charged.

DeSilva admitted meeting with the defence team, but denied the suggestion.

Mr. Warner also accused DeSilva of being the leader of the gang and questioned him about why he was able to "give up'' his alleged accomplice Travis Dill.

However, DeSilva insisted he only gave Dill's name because Police had taken the wrong man in custody.

"I knew that they could not prove he (Dill) was there,'' he added.

Mr. Warner then attacked DeSilva's claim of a gang pact of silence.

"All this nonsense about getting killed isn't true,'' he said.

But the 28-year-old quickly shot back.

"You think that I'm up here putting my life on the line for a joke?'' he asked angrily. "What's wrong with you?'' DeSilva also gave further testimony regarding the escape path of the robbers across the Great Sound and into a wooded area near the Riddell's Bay Golf Course.

The last thing he saw of his alleged accomplices was Archibald and Dillas running into a break in the trees together, and Dill apparently throwing away the money bag, he said.

"I didn't look back any more, I was doing my own thing after that,'' he continued.

"I was surprised that the man (Police) even got the money,'' DeSilva added.

"He (Dill) got away and he left the money?'' But Mr. Warner rejected DeSilva's account.

"You have made your evidence suit the Crown's case,'' he argued.

"Mr. Archibald never met you at Travis Dill's house on the evening before the incident.

"Mr. Archibald did not meet with you at Lisa Caines' (Archibald's girlfriend) house prior to the robbery to discuss robbing the bank.'' "Mr. Archibald did not leave the boat with you at Bay Shadows because he wasn't there,'' Mr. Warner also charged.

"Oh, he was,'' DeSilva countered. "I want to see what kind of alibi he's got. He must have gotten a helicopter to put him there.'' But Mr. Warner once again challenged DeSilva.

"You put him there because you want your evidence to be substantial and to suit the Crown's case,'' he claimed.

"I did not put him there,'' DeSilva answered. "He was arrested there.'' As DeSilva left the witness box after testifying for two-and-a-half days, he gave a mock salute towards defence counsel and dock.

A number of Police who first gave chase to DeSilva and the other bank robbers also recalled the day's events.

P.c. Joseph Watson said he arrived at the bank minutes after the robbers left.

However, after going to the Watford Bridge he was able to inform Marine Police of the gang's movements as he watched the men flee across the water.

The trial continues today before Chief Justice Austin Ward. Brian Calhoun and Patrick Doherty are representing the Crown.