Jeweller was hit by blank bullet

The robber escaped with jewellery from the Amore store in Piries Place

A West Sussex jeweller shot by an armed robber was hit by a modified blank bullet, police have revealed.

Darren Prior, 23, was shot at after he chased the thief from his jewellery store in Horsham on 22 September.

It was initially thought Mr Prior's mobile phone saved his life by absorbing the impact.

However, Sussex Police said on Friday that "a real bullet would have gone through the phone and caused serious injury".

"Fortunately, because it was a modified blank, it did not have the same velocity," said Insp Jo Wainwright.

The gun used by the robber was real, but forensic experts said it contained 9mm calibre blank cartridges which had been altered.

The robber is still being hunted by police after being caught on CCTV aiming the weapon at Mr Prior.

He was black, 6ft tall and wearing a black hooded top.

Mr Prior was unharmed when the blank ammunition struck his mobile phone. A first shot missed him by inches.

The attack is being treated as attempted murder.