Masked robbers smashed a car through the front of a shop and escaped with money from a cash machine inside.

The Alldays store in Hangleton Road, Hove, was targeted by ram-raiders just before 4am on Saturday.

After driving a 4X4 through the door and windows, they removed a safe from a cash machine, loaded it into the vehicle and sped off.

The raid took less than five minutes and was witnessed by Matt Kennett, a 22-year-old maintenance engineer who lives in a flat above the shop in The Parade.

Mr Kennett said: "I was in bed and heard a bang and a rumbling sound. I looked out of my window and saw a Jeep Cherokee going front-first through the window below. It reversed out and turned around and then went in again backwards.

"I saw a bloke wearing a balaclava and dressed in black.

"At one point the jeep got stuck on the window frame and there was a bit of shouting so there must have been someone else with him.

"There was another car parked outside with the engine running.

"I couldn't believe it. You see stuff like this on the telly but you don't imagine it happening right in front of you."

After the men had sped off Mr Kennett went to investigate and found the shop full of dust and smoke.

Alldays' manager, Philip Budd, said: "The cheek of what they did is shocking.

"They knew what they were doing and would have been highly organised."

Despite the damage, the shop opened again at 8am yesterday.

The robbery prompted renewed calls for a CCTV camera to be installed in the area.

In 2003, Unwins off-licence in Hangleton Road was ram-raided late at night.

The perpetrators were caught by an off-duty police officer before they could escape with any cash.

The store's manager, 58-year-old John Young, said: "The police haven't got the resources to patrol the area on a regular basis and crime has got worse."

Last year, Conservative councillor Dawn Barnett helped collect a petition of 600 signatures calling for Brighton and Hove City Council to install a CCTV camera near the shops but the request was refused.

Coun Barnett said: "I've campaigned for CCTV cameras here for months and months. The council says there's no money and a camera isn't necessary because there's not enough trouble here."

She added that vandalism, robberies and drug-dealing were on the rise.

Dave Smart, of Knoll Community Association, called for CCTV to be installed urgently.

He said: "Crime is residents' biggest concern."