Shocked on-lookers watched from Cromer's promenade today (Thursday) after a shoplifter ran into the sea to avoid being apprehended.

The incident happened at around 2.10pm after a man was approached by Morrisons produce manager Jon Court who believed he was attempting to leave the food store with a 'nesting trolley'.

He said: 'He may have been hiding more expensive items in his trolley hidden by other surrounding food, such as crisps.

'He walked through the produce aisle to the exit and I waited until he went outside and then I challenged him.

'There was only one of them at that point but then his friend appeared.'

The shoplifters left the trolley in the store's car park and started to run through the town centre. Mr Court and his colleague Danny Francis chased the two men to the seafront.

'One of the men walked to the edge of the beach,' said Mr Court.

'He proceeded to walk into the sea and got up to chest height and walked along the coast heading in the Overstrand direction.'

By this point Mr Court and Mr Francis had been joined by Cromer police community support officer Elaine Roberts and the coastguard had been informed.

Richard Leeds from Cromer's inshore lifeboat said: 'We were asked to attend to a possible shoplifter in the sea who refused to come out.'

A police spokesman added: 'We were called to a report of two male runners reported to have shop lifted food. One person had walked into the sea.

'They were encouraged to come away from the water's edge and then were arrested in the Overstrand area.

'The coastguard was stood down.'