Raiders who attacked a jewellery shop had their getaway disrupted by a man with a walking stick.

The man witnessed the latest in a series of raids at Fraser Hart, in Fremlin Walk, Maidstone, and sprang to action.

In an attempt to foil the robbery he attacked the getaway car, smashing its windows with a walking stick.

Police have now put out an appeal to speak to the man or anyone else who witnessed the raid.

Staff at the jewellers alerted CCTV operators they were under attack so they could film an attempted raid.

Fraser Hart staff, at the store in Fremlin Walk, Maidstone, called CCTV operators using their MaidSafe radio.

CCTV is now being studied by police.

Because of the quick call by staff CCTV cameras were immediately trained on four would-be raiders, trying to smash the store’s windows.

Police were called to the high-end jewellers in Fremlin Walk, Maidstone, just before 11am on Saturday.

It was the fourth time within a year the jewellers had been targeted.

A police spokesman said at least four black men, all wearing dark clothes and wearing masks over their faces, used hammers to try and smash the windows of the jewellers but were unable to take anything.

They drove away along Earl Street and the car was later found abandoned at a slip road near the White Rabbit roundabout.

Chris Stewart, surveillance controller, said the footage was very similar to that filmed in February. That footage proved instrumental in the arrest of three people who were jailed in October for carrying out a £30,000 heist.

Mr Stewart said: "We received a call from the store’s MaidSafe radio saying there was a robbery in progress and we immediately put the cameras on Fraser Hart.

"We linked the radio to police HQ and at the same time the images were sent to the police control room.

"It was pretty much the same scenario as the incident in February, but this time the car used by the men was able to get away."

He added: "The partnership between MaidSafe and CCTV worked well again. I’m hopeful that police will be able to work from the images and hope that a capture will be made in the not-too-distant future."

Anyone with information on Saturday’s attempted raid should contact Kent Police on 01622 604187, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.