A Lara Croft lookalike sparked an armed police alert when she brandished her pistols in public.

The dead ringer for the Tomb Raider computer game heroine was clad head-to-toe in black leather and clutched a replica pistol in each hand.

A frightened onlooker dialled 999 - unaware the only shots "Lara" and her male accomplice would be firing were photographic ones.

The duo were spotted in the car park beneath Tesco in Station Road, Portslade.

As they climbed into a black 4x4 and sped off they were seen by a neighbour who called the police, terrified the guns were real.

Armed officers were alerted and the force helicopter was scrambled. Officers traced the jeep to Holmes Avenue, Hove, and surrounded the house.

But when they pounced, instead of a showdown with armed raiders they found former beauty queen Michelle Powell and her husband Bob.

Michelle, said: "We had been down at Tesco doing some pictures in the car park - we went early so it would be quiet. We had no idea of the stir we caused."

Bob, a technical director for an events company, described how he stepped out of the house to get something from his vehicle - and was frisked by armed officers.

He said: "I saw the police screech up behind me through my rear view mirror. I assumed there was something going on elsewhere in the road.

"Then they told me to get out of my car and keep my hands where they could see them. It was a bit hairy.

"They asked if I had any guns and I said I didn't. Then they asked if I had been at Tesco and the penny dropped.

"I told them Michelle was a lookalike and although the guns look quite real they're just plastic. I told them we were Tomb Raiders, not armed raiders.

"They said they'd been observing the house for half an hour before they approached. It was just as well I went out to the car or they might have kicked the front door down."

Bob added: "Once they realised we weren't terrorists they were fine. In the end we gave them a picture of Michelle as Lara and they seemed quite pleased."

The alarm was raised by an elderly resident of Symbister Road, Portslade, which backs on to Tesco.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "I was making my bed on Sunday morning when I looked out of the window and saw these two people walking up the ramp to the car park.

"The woman was dressed in black leather and carrying two silver pistols. I was not sure if they were real but I thought it might be somebody trying to rob the store so I called the police.

"The police assured me I had done the right thing in calling them straight away."

Michelle, a former model and dancer, became hooked on Lara Croft last year after searching for costume ideas for her approaching 40th birthday party.

The former Miss Eastbourne has since won second place in two lookalike competitions.

She said: "I make the costumes mostly from things I find in charity shops or bits of leather, a little bit of sewing and my trusty glue gun. My pistols I get from the pound shop. They are just toys but when I paint them half silver they look pretty good."

When she is not being Lara, Michelle works as a beauty consultant for Boots in North Street, Brighton. The transformation from housewife into heroine takes Michelle about an hour.

Sussex Police said it was standard procedure to call in armed units to sightings of guns and the police helicopter was scrambled because there was a car involved.

A spokeswoman said: "Incidents like this can create fear and alarm among the public. Anyone filming or photographing people using replica guns should inform the police, otherwise it can lead to a waste of police resources."