Raiders stole £250 and 2,600 cigarettes from a post office.

A man and woman went into the Southover Street Post Office in Brighton at 2.10pm yesterday.

The woman distracted owner Saroj Bala Treon at the counter, asking her to change bags of silver coins.

Meanwhile, the man grabbed the contents of the till, leaving just a £1 coin.

He also stuffed black carrier bags full of cigarettes, possibly making two or three trips to a getaway car which was waiting outside.

Mrs Treon, 56, said: "When I realised what was happening I was hysterical.

"I ran after them. I was so angry that something happened when I was least expecting it.

I started screaming and locked the door, so they had to run all the way through the shop and out the other door.

"They must have been keeping a watch on the shop.

"I'm hardly ever alone here but our assistant didn't turn up today."