A Supreme Court jury has heard how a pair of bungling robbers were forced to flea on foot after their getaway vehicle failed to start following a bank heist.

And on the opening day of the trial of Randolph Lightbourne yesterday surveillance camera footage of a bank security guard being knocked to the ground by one of the gunmen was also shown.

Lightbourne, 32, of Devon Springs, Devonshire, is charged with carrying out the robbery at the Somerset branch of the Bank of Butterfield in July 1997, along with an accomplice.

He is also charged with using a firearm, two counts of unlawful wounding and carrying a firearm with intent to commit an offence. Lightbourne has pleaded not guilty to all five charges.

In February of last year a second man, Reid Jones, was given a seven year prison sentence for his part in the heist, which netted the robbers $70,000.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Crown Counsel Patrick Doherty told the jury of ten women and two men how two security guards were attacked as they made a delivery to the bank on the morning of July 8.

"One of the security guards was hit over the head and fell unconscious and the next security guard was hit in the back and fell to the ground,'' Mr.

Doherty said.

"The two men then entered the bank and ran directly to the vault. A clerk closed the door of the vault and locked herself in and at that point a security guard from the branch rushed at one of the robbers who was carrying a gun and, during the struggle, the security guard was pistol-whipped. "The robbers then picked up a bag containing $70,000. Unfortunately for them their motorcar didn't start. The robbers couldn't get it started and fled on foot and went to the East Shore Road area of Sandys.'' Mr. Doherty went on to explain how the pair got into a second getaway vehicle but were once again forced to flee on foot when their escape route down Laurel Lane -- a dead end -- was blocked by a Police car.

"The car proceeded down Laurel Lane and they saw the Police and parked at the end of the road and turned into a house,'' Mr. Doherty said.

"The men got out of the vehicle and the owner of the house heard something outside and, as a result, looked out of the window and immediately recognised someone she's known for years.

"They ran away and Lightbourne was later arrested in Hamilton. The money was never recovered.'' Once a video of the robbery, which showed the branch security guard being attacked by one of the raiders, was viewed, Mr. Doherty called a number of Scenes of Crime officers to the witness stand.