A gunman is on the loose after committing two armed robberies on newsagents in a week.

The man walked into Preston News, in Preston Road, Brighton, at about 7.10am yesterday, produced a gun and told the shop assistant: "Be quiet and open the till for me."

The woman, who was in the shop on her own at the time, gave the raider some notes from the till. He also took tobacco before leaving the shop and heading north along London Road.

Soon after the incident a police cordon was set up in front of the shop and two police officers were stationed at the doorway.

Despite the newsagents being in the middle of a parade of shops, including a launderette, an off-licence and a pub, other shop workers did not see what took place.

The woman spent yesterday helping police with their inquiries and was too shaken to return to work.

Sussex Police are linking the incident with an armed robbery which took place at a newsagents in Western Road, Brighton, last week.

At about 7.15am on Thursday August 13, a man walked into Sweets N Things and pointed a gun at a man behind the till. He demanded cash before running off.

Shop assistant Basil Misaad was not in the shop at the time of the robbery but said his colleague had been left shaken by what had happened.

He said: “A man came in with a gun and he took £150 from the till.”

The man was black in his early 20s and 5ft 9in with slight stubble on his face. He was not scruffy and had no distinguishing accent.

He was wearing a thick and heavy looking olive green jacket with draw strings around the neck, blue jeans and a white polo shirt.

Police were yesterday looking at CCTV footage to see if the gunman’s face was recorded on it.

It is not yet known whether the gun involved was real or fake.

Anyone with information about either robbery should call Brighton and Hove CID on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.