Former Bradford City player Lewis Emanuel has appeared in court charged in connection with an armed raid at a post office where staff were allegedly threatened with a sawn-off shotgun.

The Bradford-born 29-year-old, who made 153 appearances for his hometown club, has been remanded in custody by Kirklees magistrates after being charged with robbery after raiders struck at Skelmanthorpe post office in Huddersfield on Friday, May 24.

Another man, Craig Anthony Ward, 25, of Lindale Road, Woodside, Bradford, was also charged with robbery and remanded in custody, while Kirsty Emanuel, 28, of Lowfield Close, Low Moor, Bradford, was bailed after being charged with possessing criminal property.

Police say the case was committed to Bradford Crown Court.

At the time of the incident, police said two masked men believed to be carrying firearms entered the Commercial Road post office at 10.10am and demanded staff hand over cash before they fled.

No one was hurt and no shots were fired during the incident.

It is believed one of the customers in the post office at the time was a two-year-old toddler.

Emanuel, a former Hanson School pupil who now lives in Milton Keynes, started his career as a trainee with Bradford City and made his senior debut for the then Championship club on August 21, 2001, in a League Cup victory over Macclesfield Town.

The defender played five seasons at Valley Parade, making a total of 139 league appearances, during which he scored four goals, before turning down the offer of a new contract at the end of the 2005–06 season. He went to sign for Luton Town on a free transfer. He was released by the club in July 2010.