Four men who robbed a Ramsgate bookmakers and led police on a chase across the Thanet countryside have been jailed.

Staff and customers at the Coral store in Newington Road, Ramsgate, were ordered to lie on the floor during the robbery on April 17.

The men made off with nearly £500 from the till and £5 from the wallet of one member of staff.

Police spotted the getaway car driving out of Thanet shortly after 9.40am after it triggered an automatic number plate recognition camera.

They pursued the offenders through gardens and countryside after the vehicle was abandoned in Collards Close, Monkton, making the arrests in marshland nearby.

The actions of the officers involved were commended by Judge Anthony Webb at the sentencing, whilst Ch Supt John Molloy, East Kent’s top policeman, described their actions as “outstanding”.

Stewart Robinson, 20, of no fixed address was given a four year prison sentence for the robbery by a judge at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday. He will also serve a concurrent 12 month sentence for a robbery at the same branch of Coral on March 25 and another offence in London.

Jonathan Tetteh, 19, of Crown Dale, Upper Norwood, London, was sentenced to two years, with six months to run concurrently for the attempted robbery of one of the customers in the bookmakers.

Michael Hermitt, 20, of Antigua Walk, Upper Norwood, London and Dwayne Lock, 19, of Wychwood Way, Upper Norwood, London both received 20 month sentences for the robbery.