UPDATE: Police thank the public for their help with investigation following armed robbery in Chapel St Leonards

Officers were called to the Spar Stores in Sea Road at 5.50pm on Tuesday following reports of masked men carrying weapons.

The men fled the scene with a quantity of cigarettes and cash from a till before our officers arrived.

Three men, aged 38, 41 and 45, were located and arrested in the local area shortly after the incident. They remain in custody and will be questioned in due course.

Today (Thursday), Lincolnshire Police said: "The three men arrested in connection with this robbery have been released on bail while investigations continue.

"We would like to thank the public for their support following this incident, and ask that any witnesses contact us on 101, quoting incident 297 of August 17."

Yesterday (Wednesday) DS Mike Wilding said: “We are yet to locate the stolen items and our investigations are ongoing.

“We believe the men were carrying weapons and made threats to staff in the shop. We are still trying to establish what these weapons were. No one was injured.

“We would ask people not to speculate on social media as proceedings are active.

“We will be in the area today continuing with our investigation and more patrols will be taking place of the local area.

“We would appeal for any witnesses, that we have not yet spoken with, to contact us on 101.”

Anyone who can assist with the investigation is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 297 of August 17.