Armed robbers brandishing crowbars and a handgun attempted to break into a computer company at the Interface Business Park in Wootton Bassett.

The five balaclava-clad robbers fled the scene after triggering an alarm at computer company Memory Plus.

The incident is one of several recent attempted robberies at the company, which manufactures and distributes PC memory upgrades.

And it follows the hijacking in June of a delivery van which had picked up computer components from the firm.

Memory Plus marketing manager David Flack said: "Our primary concern is for the staff. We have done a number of things to tighten the security at our building and to avoid this kind of thing in the future."

The car the robbers were driving, a blue Vauxhall Vectra, was stolen in London a few days ago. It was seen heading towards the M4 at 1.40pm yesterday and was followed by the Thames Valley police helicopter to the back of Heathrow Airport where it was abandoned.

Five men were later arrested in a car and another three were arrested from a block of flats nearby.

Police spokesman Graham Chivers, said: "A witness saw a vehicle driving off towards the motorway. He noted there were five men in the car, wearing balaclavas, holding crowbars and one of them had a gun."

The men will be brought back to Swindon today for questioning.