A beauty shop owner heard one of her staff say she had to rush home to see Crimewatch because her boyfriend was on it, a court heard.

Denise Holland said Danielle Haylor worked at her salon in Crawley as beauty therapist.

She told a jury Miss Haylor's partner Tim Cole had been there to pick her up several times.

Miss Holland said the couple had also been to her birthday party at her home at Horley, near Gatwick, in August 2005.

She added that he arrived with a friend he introduced as Sean.

It is alleged that a month later Sean Henry and Timothy Cole staged an armed robbery at Amore jewellery shop in Horsham.

Shop manager Darren Prior was shot as the gunman fled with diamond rings worth £50,000.

His life was saved when a mobile phone in his pocket took the full impact of the bullet, Hove Crown Court has heard.

The raid made national news when an appeal for information was made by BBC1's Crimewatch programme on November 2, 2005.

Miss Holland said she was at her salon with her sister Michelle, Miss Haylor and others on the day the appeal was broadcrast.

Miss Holland said: "The salon closes at eight but we were running late that night.

"I heard Danielle say to Michelle 'quick, quick we have got to get home. Crimewatch is on and Tim and Sean are going to be on it'.

"I went home and watched the reconstruction of the robbery.

"I recognised Tim and assumed that it was Sean with him."

Miss Holland said she had only met the man she knew as Sean once at her party.

She said he was under 6ft tall, thin, with short hair and light black skin.

Miss Holland looked at Henry in the dock and said: "If it is them over there the guy Sean is not the one who came to my party."

Michael Gledhill, QC, defending Henry, asked: "You are saying that the man called Sean who came to your party is not that man?"

Miss Holland replied: "No, no doubt at all unless he has shaved his head and put a lot of weight on in prison."

It is alleged that Henry and Cole were seen together near Amore in Piries Place, Horsham, two hours before the robbery.

Richard Barton, prosecuting, alleges that a man seen on CCTV footage who appears to have a shaven or bald head is Henry.

It is alleged that Henry returned two hours later having changed his clothes and robbed the store at gunpoint.

The prosecution also alleges that Cole was the getaway driver during the raid on September 22, 2005.

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

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

Cole, 30, of Squirrells Close, Langley Green, Crawely, denies robbery.

The trial continues.