A new protocol using radical cyclisation has been developed for the synthesis of [1, 2-c]- fused imidazoles and [1, 2-a]-fused pyrroles. The intermediate nucleophilic N-alkyl radicals, generated using Bu3SnH from N-(ω-bromoalkyl) or N-[ω-(phenylselanyl) alkyl] imidazoles and pyrroles, undergo regio-selective radical cyclisation onto the azole rings followed by oxidative re-aromatisation.