By Rebecca SheppardTWO shotgun-wielding men subjected staff and customers to a terrifying ordeal last night as they tried to rob a post office.The robbers, who wore balaclavas, burst into the post office in Christchurch Street, Ipswich, and threatened people inside before fleeing empty-handed.

By Rebecca Sheppard

TWO shotgun-wielding men subjected staff and customers to a terrifying ordeal last night as they tried to rob a post office.

The robbers, who wore balaclavas, burst into the post office in Christchurch Street, Ipswich, and threatened people inside before fleeing empty-handed.

The incident is the latest in a spate of raids to plague Suffolk, coming only five days after masked robbers targeted a post office in Hacheston, near Wickham Market - the fourth time the store has been attacked this year.

Twelve days ago a pair of raiders also struck at Debenham post office. All of the incidents have happened at about 5pm, but Suffolk police said it was too early to link the attacks.

A glass screen protecting counter staff was smashed in last night's raid, but police confirmed no shots had been fired in the robbery and no-one had been hurt.

A Suffolk police spokesman said the raiders had left the Christchurch Street premises empty-handed in a Ford Fiesta, which headed towards Tuddenham Road. The car was later found abandoned nearby.

A woman, who worked near the post office, said she had only found out about the incident when she had heard the alarms going.

She appealed to the police to take action after so many post offices have been hit in the past two weeks.

Suffolk police appealed for anyone with information about last night's attempted robbery to contact them on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

rebecca.sheppard@eadt.co.uk