CCTV images have been released in a bid to find the armed robbers who held post office staff at knifepoint before making off with £10,000.

The stills show the knifeman wanted by the police in connection with the raid on the WH Smith post office in St George’s Road, Kemp Town, Brighton, in a daring raid shortly after 3pm on Monday.

Police are yet to track down the knifeman, who held a blade to the ribs of a shop worker and demanded cash, and his accomplice, who guarded the door.

The knifeman in the still was white, stocky, in his late forties, with a bald head and very closely shaven hair at the sides.

He was wearing a grey tracksuit and black shoes.

His accomplice, who waited outside, was also pictured on CCTV exclusively obtained by The Argus from a resident.

Student Katia Damborsky, 21, caught the raiders loitering outside the post office on her home CCTV minutes before the raid.

She said: “You can see the two men standing outside the shop for five minutes.

“One of them even took a phone call as he loitered about. They kept looking in the window to check if the shop was empty or not.

“Then a guy wearing white jeans went into the post office, while a man in a red tracksuit guarded the door.”

The accomplice guarding the door was also white, 5ft 8in, slim and about 25.

He was wearing a distinctive red tracksuit with a white stripe down the outside of the sleeves and legs.

Miss Damborsky said she was left shocked by the robbery at her local post office.

The University of Brighton journalism student said: “When I walked to the post office I saw crime scene tape across the door.

“That’s when I looked at our camera and realised our CCTV had filmed the men.

“It was really surprising and I did not expect that all to happen.

“I spoke to a staff member in the shop and they said the raiders nodded at each other.

“That’s when the till lady knew it was a robbery.

“They said a knife was held against the lady’s ribs.”

Detective Sergeant Helen Paine said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the staff and we are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the robbery or who recognises the suspects.”

The franchise store is now reopen.

Any witnesses or anyone with information should contact police online or phone 101 quoting serial 846 of 09/10.