A jeweller has told a court of his fear after a gunman threatened to shoot him in the leg.

Christopher Purvis said it was the scariest moment of his life.

He told a jury he was in the kitchen at Amore Jewellers when he heard a man talking in the shop to manager Darren Prior.

Mr Purvis said the man spoke with a South London accent like the comedy character Ali G.

He added: "I heard him say to Darren 'open the cabinet bruv' or 'open the cabinet blood'.

"It dawned on me that it was a robbery."

Mr Purvis said he dialled 999 and whispered to the operator that the shop was being robbed.

However, the operator could not hear what he was saying and the gunman heard him when he spoke louder.

Mr Purvis added: "The robber came in to the kitchen and told me to get out and come into the shop.

"He asked Darren to open the cabinet but he didn't seem to be having any luck.

"He told Darren 'Perhaps if I pop a cap in your mate's leg'.

"He was pretty aggressive and jabbing the gun and pointing it at my leg, less than a foot from my thigh."

Michael Gledhill, QC, defending, asked Mr Purvis: "You said you were scared.

"I would imagine this was the most frightening thing that had ever happened to you in your life?"

Mr Purvis replied: "Yes."

He said he fled back to the kitchen and dialled 999 again when the cabinet was unlocked and the robber turned his attention to the diamond rings in the display.

Mr Prior, 25, earlier told Hove Crown Court the gunman threatened to shoot Mr Purvis unless he opened the display within ten seconds.

The jury has heard how the gunman grabbed £50,000 of rings from the window display.

Mr Prior tried to stop him fleeing from the shop in Piries Place, Horsham, in September 2005.

He then bravely gave chase and ignored a warning shot fired into the ground towards him.

The pursuit continued into Pump Alley where the robber turned and pointed the gun directly at Mr Prior and fired.

His life was saved when the bullet hit a mobile phone in his pocket.

Richard Barton, prosecuting, said the phone absorbed the impact and "mercifully" left Mr Prior uninjured.

The robbery made national headlines when an appeal to try to identify the gunman featured on BBC1's Crimewatch programme in November 2005.

It is alleged that Sean Henry was the gunman and Timothy Cole was his getaway driver.

Cole, 35, of Douglas Close, Wallington, Surrey, denies attempted murder and possessing a handgun.

He also denies attempting to wound Mr Prior with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and robbery.

Cole, 30, of Squirrells Close, Crawley, denies robbery.

The trial continues.