DETECTIVES are hunting armed robbers who burst into a village store at East Peckham, near Maidstone, and ordered staff to hand over cash at gunpoint.

Two men, wearing hoods and balaclavas, used what looked like a pistol to threaten staff, ordering them to open the safe at the Alldays store in Pound Road. When the men discovered the safe was empty they went through the tills and grabbed items off the shelves.

They escaped in a black Ford Focus which had earlier been stolen from Borough Green Road, Wrotham. The car was later found abandoned in Old Church Lane, off Seven Mile Lane.

Police are investigating whether another stolen car, a silver Ford Mondeo, taken from Sevenoaks, is also connected to the incident. It was spotted parked next to the Ford Focus before the armed robbery whicvh occurred between 6.45am and 7am on Monday.

Det Sgt Andy Nicoll "We are determined to find the people who have committed this crime. Incidents of this type eventually lead to businesses moving out of an area and the community suffers. We do not want to see this happening and if anyone has any information we would urge them to contact us."

Anyone with information is asked to contact DS Nicoll or DC Malcolm Pounder on 01732 370732.