A man has described the moment he approached on-the-run Constance Marten and Mark Gordon and helped police arrest them.

Dale Cooley told police how he recognised Marten and Gordon in Brighton as “the missing couple off the news” after they were the subject of a seven week long manhunt.

Mr Cooley approached the couple and spoke to them before calling police who arrested the couple shortly afterwards.

In a statement read in court Mr Cooley  said he recognised the couple in Hollingbury on February 27 last year after reading an article in The Argus about the search for the pair.

He said: "I noticed a female stood in the door of the pharmacy next door to Mulberry's [in Hollingbury Place].

"He [Gordon, accompanying Marten] was carrying a massive stick and his foot was wrapped in what looked like a plastic bag."

After following them along the road to Stanmer Villas, Mr Cooley said that the couple "looked to be in a hurry".

He added that Marten "seemed to me like she was trying to keep hidden".

Mr Cooley then says that he approached the couple to ask them a question and ascertain if they were the missing couple.

He continued: "I asked them 'is this Stanmer Villas?'.

"He [Gordon] replied to me in a rough tone 'we do not know'."

Marten and Gordon were both arrested in Golf Drive, Brighton at around 9.35pm shortly after Mr Cooley called police.

Their baby daughter, called Victoria, was found dead in a Lidl “bag for life” on March 1 last year.

Today jurors were played footage and audio of Marten and Gordon being arrested.

When asked where their new born daughter was or whether she was alive Gordon did not answer and instead asked for chicken, crisps and ginger beer.

They are now standing trial accused of cruelty towards a child, allowing the death of a child, concealing the birth of a child, gross negligence manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.

They deny the charges.

The trial at the Old Bailey in London continues.