A cafe owner has described the terrifying moment a gang cornered her and robbed her.

Clare Angell was working alone at the kiosk in Wild Park in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, and was preparing to close shortly before 3pm when three men entered.

They went over to the ice cream freezer and she noticed something was wrong when one stood blocking the entrance.

The rowdy trio became aggressive, with one man intimidating her at the till after he handed over a £20 note to pay.

After demanding his change in notes only, he then kept shouting that he was owed more and moved around to her side of the till, launching a tirade in her face.

Eventually he took £280 from the till before she told him to go.

Mrs Angell, who opened Clare’s Café at Wild Park in December, was left frightened and shaken.

She said: “It was just like every Saturday, a busy day especially in the hot weather. My partner Margaret had an appointment at lunchtime so left and my husband came, but he had to leave early to pay a mechanic.

“It was almost closing time and quiet so I decided to sit by the till and do some paperwork. Then three men came in.

“They were quite rowdy, but not aggressive at first.”

She said one man, who she described as being short, fat with sallow skin and green eyes, approached her. He was wearing a grey baseball cap, a grey polo T-shirt with a pink logo, grey shorts and trainers, and spoke with a South London accent.

Mrs Angell said: “He was the loudest of them all. He continually talked right into my face.Then he shouted at me that he wanted me to give him notes for his change.

“He would not let up and became increasingly aggressive and told me I owed him money. I was completely blocked in.”

The second man was described as being tall with blond hair and blue eyes. There was no description given for the third man.

They went to a navy blue Ford Fiesta Zetec. Police are investigating the crime, which happened on Saturday.