Police have received 70 calls in connection with an aggravated burglary during which two teenagers were tied up and threatened with rape.

Detectives appeared on BBC's Crimewatch programme last night concerning the attacks, which took place in Brighton in 2001.

The two men in their late teens befriended a woman who came back to their flat in Sudeley Place, Kemp Town.

The woman said she had nowhere to live and they allowed her to stay.

When they accused her later of stealing items including a mobile phone and not paying rent she left and returned with three men who tied the victims up.

Detective Inspector Jane Tilsey said: "They threatened to rape the victims and one had his trousers cut."

The offenders stole electrical items and left.

Ms Tilsey said: "We received about 50 calls to the studio last night and about 20 came through to Brighton and Hove CID."

The three male offenders were black and the woman was of mixed race.