A NO-NONSENSE off-licence owner has told how he dealt with a would-be armed robber.

The intruder entered Mandeep Singh's shop in Gravesend with a BB gun last Saturday at about 8.25pm.

But he didn't count on Mr Singh's previous experience with firearms in the Indian Army and the fact that his brother, a member of the legislative assembly in the Punjab, is often surrounded by armed bodyguards.

Mr Singh said: "He pointed the weapon at me and I recognised from the calibre that it was a BB gun.

"I switched the cash register off and said, smile, you are on camera'." The man immediately ran off empty-handed.

Mr Singh, a father of three, set a three-camera system up in his shop, called Jassy 1 Stop, when he founded it in July last year.

He said: "People laughed at me for spending so much money on cameras but now it has proved its worth."

Fifteen minutes after the incident involving Mr Singh, an armed robber of the same appearance entered M & D Wines in Windmill Street, Gravesend, and threatened the lone female worker and made off with £100.

Police are hunting a man aged between 30 and 40, about 6ft tall. He was wearing a black scarf, black hoodie top, blue jeans and white trainers.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Sgt Dave West at Gravesend Police Station on 01474 565091.