TWO newsagents were targeted by knifemen in terrifying attacks just hours apart.

Two armed men held up the WH Smith Post Office in St George’s Road, Brighton, in a daring daylight raid on Monday at 3pm.

The pair threatened staff with knives before taking £10,000 from the till.

Just hours later, yesterday morning at 8.30am, a knifeman stormed into PR News, in St James’s Street, Brighton.

The man ran through the shop to the back of the counter and demanded money from the manger.

He started punching the till and managed to break it before the manager could open it for him.

He then turned his attention to the cigarette cabinet and took a number of packets.

As he tried to make his escape, a have-a-go-hero attempted to wrestle him to the ground.

But the knifeman broke free and ran off down St James’s Street towards the Old Steine.

As he fled, he dropped his knife into a drain.

Police officers later recovered it and took it away as evidence.

Nobody was hurt but the newsagent manager, Xin Du, was left shaken by the attack.

Ms Du described how the incident unfolded.

She said: “I was late into work as I missed my bus, and had my back to the door while I was working and catching up.

“I had my headphones in as I was listening to something on YouTube. But I felt someone approach me very quickly.

“Then I turned around and saw he had a knife.

“I was trying to give him money, but then he broke the till.

“It’s affected my business all day as I couldn’t fix it until the afternoon.”

Witnesses said they had spotted the man hanging around outside the newsagents in the minutes before the robbery. They described him as “looking as if her was up to something”.

Trudy Hornsbury, 55, who was outside the nearby Sainsbury’s at the time, said: “I saw him standing around outside the newsagents looking uncomfortable.

“I didn’t see whether he had a knife, but I got a bad feeling from him. Then he went into the shop and everything happened.”

Suzann Brittain, 63, from Brighton, had just come out of Morrison’s in St James’s Street, when she saw the aftermath of the theft.

She said: “You can’t go anywhere anymore without something new happening.

“Some people will try anything just to rob a shop and get a hold of things.

“It’s disgusting - it’s really bad.”

Ms Xin praised the man who tried to tackle the knifeman as he made his escape.

She said: “I’m glad he was there. I think his name was Peter. But I kept shouting that the thief had a knife.

“He’s our hero.”

The knifeman was white, in his late 20s, slim with dark short hair and was wearing a blue hooded top.

Investigator Andy Boyd said; “If anyone saw this incident or has any information please contact us online or by calling 101, quoting serial 200 of 10/10.

“Witnesses can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”