A man went on a robbery rampage in Brighton using only his fingers as a pretend gun.

He held his fingers to the head of an assistant at a chemist's in Islingword Road, Brighton, last night and forced him to hand over 500 diazepam pills.

A member of the public intervened and the raider punched him in the mouth, dropping more than 400 tablets as he fled.

The man later placed his hand under his T-shirt to pretend he had a gun as he tried to rob a householder in Downs Terrace, Brighton. The homeowner slammed the door on him.

Later, the same man boarded a bus in Freshfield Road, Brighton, and pointed his fingers at the driver as he tried to rob him. The driver forced him off the vehicle.

A householder in the same street called police when a man, believed to be the same one, tried to force his way in.

Officers used Captor spray on a suspect and arrested him.