Courageous staff foil attempted robbery

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A MASKED robber was stopped by brave staff at a rural post office in North Somerset.

Two employees at the Wrington branch refused to hand over cash to the man when he stormed the store on Friday.

Reports suggested the he was wearing a stocking on his head when he entered the Broad Street property at around 10am.

He then claimed to be armed and demanded staff hand over takings from the till, before escaping the scene empty handed in what is thought to have been a blue car.

Officers interviewed the post mistress, Joanne Gillions, to find out more details about the attempted heist.

The Mercury spoke to postmistress an hour after the raid but she said she was 'too shocked to talk'.

She did, however, confirm the post office was closed for the rest of the day.

Customers were being turned away from the shop on the morning of the crime and postmen were being asked to ring the bell for assistance until the store was re-opened at 3pm.

Customer Ruth Phipps, aged 52, of South Meadows, said: "It's awful for something like this to happen in our village.

"Everyone has been supportive of the staff at the Post Office and we all think the ladies in the shop were very brave.

"I know another shop owner in the village that has said she now feels concerned about working on her own."

Ruth, who is a paralegal, said rumours were rife in the village that a hooded man waited for all customers to leave and that he had an aerosol can posing as a weapon.

Broad Street residents reported that officers were door-knocking to ask if anybody had seen the event.

Witnesses say the man was white, in his thirties and of slim build, wearing blue jeans and a grey hooded top.

Anyone with information on the raid should call Weston CID on 0845 456 7000.