POOR old Tracey was meant to finish work at 10.30am on Thursday morning at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

Suzie Opacic was rushing to take over as she is competing in Derby this weekend and club-stalwart Tracey is covering her Sunday shift. Club-boss Jim Everett was looking forward to a quiet day catching up with his paperwork.

It was 10am.

Chandler’s Ford’s 15 minutes of fame was about to begin.

Tracey heard three shots as police, who had been keeping watch from the public conveniences, gunned down two alleged bank robbers outside the HSBC in the precinct just yards from the snooker club. A builder jumped out of a white van and shouted up to call the police. No need.

Before the area was taped off, Suzie, still anxious to relieve Tracey, ran past a car which had a bullet hole.

Police sealed off the area, helicopters buzzed overhead, TV crews and reporters descended. Jim watched police trying in vain to resuscitate two men. No one was allowed out of the club. Tracey, not 27, was eventually allowed out at 5pm.

But the Roll-Up continued as normal. As I arrived for the evening tournament an ITV van was just leaving. Police vehicles were parked all round the Central Club and out on the main road. Half the car park was out of bounds and forensic experts in all-white suits were still at work in the dark.