Ram-raiders ploughed a car through the window of a woman's designer outlet - but were forced to dump clothes worth £30,000 after being disturbed by police.

Clothes from designers including Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana were abandoned outside high-fashion outlet Profile in Ship Street, Brighton, following the raid at about 1am this morning.

The raiders dropped their loot and dumped the car, a Ford KA, at an angle in the street in The Lanes. They jumped into a second vehicle, rammed a police car and fled.

The men, described as wearing tracksuit bottoms, were chased by police.

Two men were found about a mile away near the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Police are still hunting for a third suspect.

Shop manager Matthew Wright said he was “shocked”. He said: “We get quite a few false alarms.

“But it was shocking to be woken up at 1am and be called to something like this. I am not sure exactly how much they managed to get away with.

“We are going through the stock - it is all insured.”

Describing the scene as “pretty chaotic”, he said: “The front of the shop has been all smashed up.

“The door was missing when I arrived so anyone could access the shop. Police were guarding it and the car they used to raid the shop was left in the street.

“We have been in the street for about two years but have only been a ladies shop for about two months - and have never seen anything like this before.”

After being stopped in the tracks the raiders fled. 

A man, named only as Leroy, saw the action.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “There were about six police cars and dog units blocking off Abbey Road at about 1am.”

A Sussex Police spokeswoman confirmed officers attended the incident. She said: “One man was seen running away south on Ship Street into The Lanes.

“Two other men got into a car which rammed a police vehicle which arrived on the scene as it tried to get away. Two men were arrested nearby on Eastern Road.”

Detective Sergeant Ari Giles said: "We are appealing to anyone who saw what happened and can help us with our enquiries.

"We are still searching for a third suspect who was last seen running into The Lanes. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.”

A 26-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of theft and a 30-year-old man from Portslade was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and possession of class B drugs.

They remained in custody last night.