By Jenni DixonA POSTMASTER who was hit on the head after confronted armed robbers has been praised by police for his bravery.Three men – armed with what was believed to be a sawn-off shotgun, a long-handled axe and an axe handle and wearing balaclava-style hoods – walked into Botesdale Post Office, near Diss, shortly after 5pm on Friday.

By Jenni Dixon

A POSTMASTER who was hit on the head after confronted armed robbers has been praised by police for his bravery.

Three men – armed with what was believed to be a sawn-off shotgun, a long-handled axe and an axe handle and wearing balaclava-style hoods – walked into Botesdale Post Office, near Diss, shortly after 5pm on Friday.

The postmaster, who is aged in his 50s who was alone in the shop at the time, challenged one of the gang and was hit on the head. They then escaped in a car with cash stolen from the post office.

Witnesses reported seeing four men abandon a Vauxhall Cavalier – which had been stolen from a home in Bury Road, Stanton, an hour before the robbery – in the village hall car park in nearby Rickinghall before getting into a second car.

Detective Inspector Karl Smith, of Suffolk police, said: "This must have been a terrifying ordeal for the postmaster. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured during the robbery, but has been left extremely shaken.

"Although we would not recommend that anyone gets themselves into a confrontational position, the postmaster has been particularly brave in this instance."

The first robber was described as of Eastern European appearance, between 5ft 9in and 5ft 10in tall, aged about 25, of slender build and was wearing a canvas-style coat, dark trousers and woollen gloves.

His accomplice was fair skinned, about 5ft 6in tall, aged about 17 or 18, of slight build and was wearing a light coloured coat and woollen gloves.

The third robber was described as of slender build, about 5ft 9in tall, aged about 25 and wearing a dark-coloured jacket.

Det Insp Smith believed one of the gang suffered an injury, possibly a cut, to his head as a result of the confrontation and appealed for information from anyone who saw a friend, relative or neighbour return home on Friday night with an unexplained head injury.

Detectives said they also wanted to hear from anyone who witnessed the theft of the blue Vauxhall Cavalier from Stanton or saw it being driving erratically from Rickinghall after 5pm.

There have been a number of post office raids in East Anglia and Det Insp Smith said that, as part of the ongoing Operation Artic, officers were regularly patrolling the areas around post offices.

Anyone with information should contact Suffolk police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

jenni.dixon@eadt.co.uk