Post mistress fights off armed robbers with a can of 'Oust'

[theflyingpostman]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1770

Air freshener is good at getting rid of unpleasant smells but a post mistress managed to clear the room of gun-wielding robbers when she grabbed a can of "Oust" and sprayed the raiders in the face.

Postal worker Margaret Taylor fought off two men who burst into her post office waving a gun and a knife.

The 42-year-old picked up a bottle of Oust - which claims to do "more than just eliminate odours" - and sprayed the raiders in the face.

The fumes proved too much for the balaclava-wearing robbers and they ran out and jumped into a car.

The incident was captured on CCTV and one of the robbers, described by witnesses as "past his prime", was heard shouting "Wait for me Pete".

Manager Martin Cronshaw, 54, said his wife Sue has had a gun held to her head in a previous attack and another time he was attacked with a samurai sword which sliced through his hand.

Doctors fought for five hours to save his thumb, but despite this Mr and Mrs Cronshaw are determined to not to be beaten.

Mr Cronshaw said: "We have been held up five times in eight years and although this was no as bad as in previous occasions when the robbers were more determined, we had to feel sorry for the people in the shop.

"But this is our business and sadly this kind of thing is the way of the world now."

Customers, including two young mothers with their toddlers, witnessed the robbery attempt in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

Mr Cronshaw added: "I lay a large part of the blame with the ready availability of legal aid.

"Kids get into trouble and they are defended with public money so the parents do not have to take responsibility.

"As the offender gets older, so it goes on. They commit offences and are given legal aid again, right through their criminal careers.

"If parents had to pay in the first place maybe it would make a difference by concentrating their minds."

Detective Constable Steve Hatton of Tameside CID said: "This was a nasty attempt to rob a Post Office as the two offenders were carrying potentially lethal weapons and were brandishing them in front of staff and customers, which included mothers and young children.

"The fact they were prepared to carry out violence to steal cash shows they are dangerous offenders who need to be caught."

The Post Office is prepared to offer a substantial reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the offenders.