The robbery took place at around 3.45 this afternoon (Monday April 20) at Marston Barrett jewellers and police are currently hunting for the raiders.

Witnesses heard a number of loud bangs as the robbers apparently smashed open glass cabinets full of jewellery before rushing out of the shop and then speeding away in a people-carrier parked outside.

Sam White, from Lewes, told the Express: 'I saw three or four men going into the jewellers and then I heard a loud bang.

'I thought to myself, they must be raiding the jewellers.

'I went straight into another shop to call the police, but by the time I got to the shop they had driven away.'

Ann Benson, the owner nearby shop of Parterre, said: 'It seemed like someone had smashed a lot of glass.

'I also saw a chap in the door shouting "Out! out! out!"

'He had something covering his face but I didn't see what, it's difficult when something is happening so quickly.'

A number of witnesses took down the registration number of the getaway car and the Express understands the vehicle has been reported as stolen from an address in London.

The stolen van was found in Tesco car park in Lewes.

For the full story read this week's Sussex Express.