John Clark, a director of the family-run business, said: 'It was like there was a team out there batting for us.
'Their courage and ingenuity was fantastic.'

Yesterday (Thursday) at around 3.40pm four armed robbers smashed their way into W E Clark and Son in Cliffe High Street.

They used sledgehammers to smash open the locked front door and once inside filled four bags with diamonds and precious stone set jewellery valued at up to £150,000.

But their escape was thwarted by a number of bystanders who stopped them from escaping . One grabbed the keys from their getaway car which was outside the jewellers with the engine running.

A group of people, including staff from Harveys and Bill's Cafe, ran after the robbers as they fled to a second get-away car parked near the Cuilfail Tunnel.

They threw stones at the car as it sped off and alerted a police car to follow the get-away car.

Armed police later rammed the car off the road near the Boship roundabout in Hailsham.

Three men have been arrested but police are still hunting a fourth man.

Three of the four bags of jewellery have also been recovered.

Mr Clark said: 'I think the people of Lewes had just had enough.

'One guy I spoke to said he saw them running down the High Street and said he knew we had been robbed again.

'He said he thought to himself we're fed up with it, and ran after them.

'But they didn't do anything silly.


'It just shows what can be done if individuals are prepared to take action in a sensible way without endangering themselves.

'Three of the four bags have been recovered and without the efforts of those people that wouldn't have happened.'

Mr Clark said this is the third armed robbery at the shop in the past five years but the first time anyone has been arrested.

Are you the woman who took the keys from the getaway vehicle?

Call Steve Holloway on 01273 480601 or email: steve.holloway@sussexnewspapers.co.uk