A woman was threatened with a sledgehammer during a burglary at a shop.

At 7pm on Tuesday  July 1 the alarm went off at The Forge, a community-run cafe/shop, in Reynolds Lane, Sllndon.

The manager who lives nearby went in to investigate and was threatened with a sledgehammer by a man who had broken in at the rear of the shop. She ran off, unharmed, and the man disappeared.

A small safe in the shop's office had been broken open and cash, believed to be several hundred pounds, had been taken.

The suspect is described as white, stocky, about 6' tall, with dark eyebrows, and was wearing a balaclava, a black leather zip-up jacket, and jeans.

Detective Sergeant Jason Vickers said; "If you were in the Slindon area early on Tuesday evening and saw this man or have any other information that would help, please contact us via 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 1339 of 2/7. You can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."