A thief tried to mow down shoppers in a supermarket car park as he sped away from a bag snatch.

Have-a-go heroes had to scatter as the thief accelerated towards them in a red Honda Civic when they tried to prevent his escape.

Seconds earlier he had grabbed the bag of a woman worker at Sainsbury's in Hove as she went to her car.

It was one of nine handbag snatches over the weekend in which lone women motorists were targeted by thieves.

And it was the latest in a series of up to 40 opportunist thefts from women either in or close to their cars which have taken place all over Brighton and Hove in the past six weeks.

The snatch was witnessed by Tony Harris, a reporter for The Argus, who joined other shoppers in trying to prevent the thief escaping in the Honda.

He said: "I heard a scream from a woman who was shouting 'He's got my bag'.

"I ran over to her and saw a young man with a baseball cap wrestling with a bag the woman was trying to hang on to.

"He was pulling at it while leaning out of the window of his car. I saw him push the woman out of the way and drive off, pulling the cap over his face.

"Shoppers tried to stand in the way of the car but he drove straight at us and there is no way he would have stopped.

"He sped out of the car park with the tyres squealing. We dialled 999 and took the number of the car.

"I can't believe how cool he was about everything. There's no doubt he would have just driven at anyone who stood in his way.

"The poor woman was in a terrible state, saying she had everything in that bag, including money and credit cards".

Police launched an immediate search of the area and a suspect was tracked to Portslade before he managed to escape by mingling with people in a busy park.

Other bag snatches took place in Hove yesterday, including another in Sainsbury's car park two hours later.

Police do not think the same person is responsible for the robberies as they have different descriptions of a number of suspects.

A man was also arrested in connection with three bag snatches last week after he was recognised by one of his victims at the Waitrose car park in Western Road, Hove.

Other superstores targeted include Asda at Hollingbury, Brighton, and the Co-op in Nevill Road, Hove.

Police have stepped up high visibility patrols near supermarkets and have launched undercover surveillance operations.

Sergeant Richard Delacour said: "These are cowardly robberies on women motorists who are alone or with young children.

"In some cases they are loading shopping into their cars and in others they are sitting in their vehicles at junctions.

"We can only repeat our warning to women not to leave their handbags where they can be seen."