A man has been charged as part of an investigation by the Met's Flying Squad into a series of armed robberies at bookmakers in south London.

Brett Mullan, 51, of Wellington Street, Gravesend, is due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates' Court today charged with five counts of robbery and five counts of being in possession of an imitation firearm.

The charges follow an investigation into a linked series of armed robberies at bookmakers in Lee, Norwood, Sutton and Crayford between Monday, April 4 and Sunday, April 24.