This is the dramatic moment a masked gunman burst into a crowded pub and opened fire during a karaoke session, hitting a man in the thigh.

Terrified customers and staff at the Railway Emporium in London Road, Bognor, dived for cover as he fired three shots at 23-year-old Philip Johnson, who was drinking alone.

After firing the shots the gunman ran from the pub at 9.30pm. Shocked bar staff raised the alarm.

Mr Johnson was rushed to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, where he is under police guard.

One of the bullets hit him in the leg, another hit a chair and the third a wall.

Detective Insp Peter McGowan said: "He is still suffering from his injuries but we are slowly and surely getting information from him.

"Three shots were fired and he was lucky because we could have been dealing with a fatality."

Another officer said today: "This is the sort of thing that happens in Belfast, not Bognor."

Armed police from Sussex's Special Operations Unit were called out and searched the area but there was no trace of the gunman.

The area was sealed off and an incident room has been set up at Bognor police station.

Forensics experts examined the bar area last night to recover bullets and collect evidence.

Detectives have appealed to anyone who saw the gunman before the shooting or as he ran from the town centre pub to come forward.

The inquiry, codenamed Operation Knock, is headed by Detective Inspector Peter McGowan.

He said: "At the moment this was a completely unprovoked attack and we will be looking into the background of the victim to try to establish why he was shot."

As the balaclava-clad gunman ran out he was chased by several customers but threatened to shoot them unless they backed off.

But as he entered the pub he was captured on video by a closed-circuit TV camera.

The aftermath of the shooting was witnessed by Campbell Hackman, 31, manager of Eddie's Big Corner Shop, which is nearby.

He said: "I was standing by the door doing some paperwork when I heard a couple of bangs.

"Several youths ran out and the one with the balaclava turned round and threatened to shoot the others if they came any closer."

Licensee Stephanie Beale, who only took over six weeks ago, said: "It was terrifying. There were a lot of people in the pub because it was a karaoke night."

Ms Beale said Mr Johnson was a regular in the pub but she knew little about him.

The shooting bought a dramatic end to the day for Ms Beale, whose daughter Nicola had earlier given birth to a baby girl, Jade, in her lounge above the pub.