Masked raiders who held a sword to the throat of a Sussex bank clerk have been jailed for a total of 59 years.

They were behind a string of bank robberies, two of them in Sussex, which netted the gang almost £170,000.

They were captured after a police operation involving forces up and down the country, including Sussex.

The gang members, described as "extremely dangerous individuals who terrorised the public", were jailed yesterday at Manchester Crown Court.

The first Sussex robbery happened on November 12 last year at the NatWest in Western Road, Brighton.

They attacked a security guard and grabbed a money bag containing £25,000.

Members of the public watched as the guard and one raider wrestled on the pavement before he fled with the money.

The guard and a colleague gave chase in their Securicor van down Sillwood Street, Brighton, but the man escaped.

The most violent robbery happened 12 days later at Lloyds TSB in High Street, Rottingdean, Brighton.

The branch had just closed for business and two women employees were about to leave when they were confronted by two masked men wearing shirts and ties under boiler suits.

One offender threatened them with a sword and held it to the throat of one of the women.

Staff were forced to open a safe and manager Peter Mulligan and two women assistants were made to lie on the floor as the men grabbed £39,000.

They fled in a Vauxhall Omega, leaving all three victims severely shocked.

Staff were treated at the scene by paramedics and one was seen later by her family doctor. Both women were still affected weeks later.

The same day, the police began to close in on the gang.

The organised crime unit and the tactical aid unit from Greater Manchester Police simultaneously executed search warrants at two of the gang's homes and both men were arrested.

The others were picked up later. One was found hiding in a hotel toilet.

All five appeared at Manchester Crown Court on April 29 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robberies.

Chief Superintendent Paul Curtis, Brighton and Hove police commander, said he was satisfied with the outcome.

He said: "These were really frightening crimes, not only for bank staff but for members of the public who witnessed them.

"These extremely dangerous individuals deliberately targeted our city.

"It is excellent work by members of the public who gave statements and our police team who quickly linked the crimes to others that helped bring these offenders to justice."

The robbers, all from Manchester, received different jail terms: Christopher Pearson, 27, received 12 years; Dean Rankin, 26, ten years; Stephen Clegg, 26, 14 years; Michael Ossai, 36, 16 years; and Andrew Wilson, 26, seven years.

The police operation was launched two months before the Sussex raids.

The gang was first suspected of targeting security guards delivering cash from security vans to banks and were kept under surveillance.

They committed eight robberies were between July last year and January this year. They briefly lived a lavish lifestyle.

None worked or claimed benefits but police found them with expensive jewellery, designer clothes, £37,000 worth of cars, a state-of-the-art television system and nearly £40,000 in cash.