Two men have been charged with robbery at a pawnbrokers in Folkestone on Monday morning.

Shoppers watched on in shock as the front window of the Pickwick Pawnbrokers store in Sandgate Road was smashed in when the store was attacked shortly before 11am.

Darren Wickham, of Coniston Road in Folkestone and Billy Puckey from Walworth in south London, both aged 23, are due to appear before Medway magistrates today.

Officers chased down two men after a moped had been left abandoned outside a nearby estate agents and fled down an alleyway towards the Leas Cliff Hall.

Both men were arrested following a chase on foot.

Nobody was injured in the alleged raid.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: "Kent Police has charged two men following a robbery at a commercial premises in Sandgate Road Folkestone on Monday March 9."

Kent Police was called at 10.55am when it was reported that raiders had smashed the shop window then left down an alleyway in the direction of the Leas Cliff Hall.

"Two men were arrested about 20 minutes after the attempted robbery was reported to police."

They added that nothing appeared to have been taken from the shop during the incident.

A crew from Kent Fire and Rescue Service joined officers on The Leas for two hours to help look for clothes thought to have been thrown over the cliff.

A fire service spokesman said: "A fire engine was sent to Sandgate Road, Folkestone to assist Kent Police at 11.36am. They left the scene at 1.49pm."

The police spokesman added: "We are looking for items of clothing that may have been discarded following eyewitness descriptions of the alleged offenders and reports to us."

The raiders appear to have used a concrete fence base to shatter the glass which has left debris on the pavement outside.

The moped was left abandoned outside the nearby Reeds Rains estate agents further down the street.

Witness David Taylor said: "We were just passing by after it happened.

"People were standing around aghast at it happening."