Police using a stinger device blew out the tyres of a van being used by suspected robbers of a motorcycle shop.

The dramatic scenes happened after the robbery at K&S Racing in Milton Road, Sittingbourne.

Store owner Keith Partridge described the moment when four raiders burst in with knives - tying up two of this staff.

They also tied up a delivery van driver before making off with seven motorbikes valued at about £25,000 in total.

Tuesday's robbery happened before 11am at the shop, opposite the Mill Way Retail Park.

A pursuit ended in Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, with onlookers seeing several police cars descend on the alleged getaway vehicle.

Mr Partridge, 64, said: "Four men carrying knives burst in and zip-tied the terrified staff who were there, while pointing knives at them.

"The thieves then zip-tied a delivery driver who was bringing a parcel into the shop before making off with seven motorbikes which they loaded into a van.

"Unknown to them there was a third employee in our workshop round the back and he managed to call the police."

The raiders loaded the motorbikes into a van before heading to the A249 towards Maidstone.

As they approached the county town, all four tyres were blown out as police lay in wait with a stinger device. Four men were arrested at the scene.

The following day, staff were too traumatised to go into work but the shop was open.

Mr Partridge's son Steven, 32, also runs the shop but he was not there on Tuesday morning.

K&S Racing, which is billed as the largest off-road motorcycle dealership in the south east, has been there for five years.

On Wednesday police searched between Milton Road and the A249.

•: Three juveniles and a man have been charged.

Michael Robert Stephenson, 21, of Camberwell, south London, has been charged with robbery, aggravated taking of a vehicle without consent, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and possession of an offensive weapon. Two 17-year-old boys and a 16-year-old boy, all from south London, have been charged with robbery, allowing themselves to be carried in a stolen vehicle and possession of an offensive weapon. All four appeared at Sittingbourne Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

All were remanded in custody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court, on October 31. Applications for bail from three of the men were turned down.