Armed robbers tied up a terrified shop worker before kidnapping her in her own car at gunpoint during an early morning store raid.

Three hooded and masked men ambushed the duty manager in the car park moments after she had locked up the Tesco Express store in Eastbourne Road, Polegate.

The trio then snatched the keys from her and tied her up in her car during a 20-minute ordeal just after midnight yesterday.

Police said the men entered the store armed with a firearm but fled empty-handed when they triggered the alarms.

The offenders, who were last night still at large, drove the woman's car with her still inside to a nearby road before abandoning it.

The terrified woman, who has not been named, managed to break free from her restraints and raised the alarm with a resident.

Last night detectives made a public appeal for help in catching the offenders. The store is covered by CCTV cameras and footage is expected to be viewed by police.

Officers working on Operation Scale said no one was hurt during the raid and nothing was stolen.

Yesterday the store, based on a busy main road leading into Eastbourne, had reopened for customers as normal.

In a statement, Tesco said it is working closely with the police to catch the raiders.

It said: "Just after midnight, after locking up the store, the duty manager was stopped leaving the car park by three hooded and masked males.

"The store keys were taken from her and she was tied up in her car. On entering the store, the men set off an alarm which caused them to leave empty-handed.

"The three men then drove the lady's car, with her inside, to a nearby road and left it there. After that, she managed to raise the alarm with a local resident.

"This was clearly a deeply unpleasant incident and we are working closely with the police on their investigation.

"Our first priority is to our member of staff and we will do all we can to help her deal with this experience."

Community leaders spoke of their shock at the crime in what is considered one of the safest parts of Wealden.

East Sussex county councillor Stephen Shing, who lives nearby, said: "For something like this to happen so close to home is deeply shocking.

"You would never think something like that could happen around here. This area has a low crime rate and one of the lowest in the whole of Wealden.

"It is a terrible thing to have happened and I would support all efforts from the police to catch the culprits as soon as possible."

Police have appealed for anyone with information to call the Operation Scale incident room on 0845 6070 999 or Crimestoppers free and in confidence on 0800 555 111.