A MAN brandishing what appeared to be a gun entered the post office on Skipton's Broughton Road on Wednesday and demanded money from the counter assistant.

He pointed the gun at cashier Helen Green, and waved an open bag, telling her to "hand it over."

But the quick thinking assistant dived to floor and hit the panic button to sound the alarm. The robber fled empty handed in the direction of Niffany Bridge.

Henry Gillett, 69, who manages the post office on behalf of his wife, Marina, was also in the store when the robbery occurred at 11.06am.

He said he had been talking to Miss Green when the man entered the shop and she had turned to serve him.

When she had heard his demands she hit the floor and Mr Gillett said he moved out of the back door, out of line of the pointed gun.

"She was cool, calm and collected," said Mr Gillett.

He added that a similar attack had occurred about five years ago. "It is a sad reflection on our society. It seems to be spiralling downhill.

"They deserve to be caught or goodness knows where it will end up," said Mr Gillett, who has been running the post office with his wife for nearly 12 years.

The suspect is described as 5ft 10ins to 6ft tall, of slim build, and was wearing a black woolly hat over his face, a dark top and stone or cream coloured trousers.

A local youth has been arrested and released on police bail.

Det Insp Mick Moore said: "This was an unnerving experience for the post office staff, and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area and may have seen something, no matter how insignificant, to come forward in the strictest confidence."

It was the second robbery in the town within two weeks, and police are still hunting the robber who struck at the Bradford and Bingley Building Society on April 28.

They have linked that attack with two other robberies - one at the Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society in Abergavenny on March 7, and the other at the Alliance and Leicester Building Society on March 28.

And they have taken the unusual step of naming 47-year-old William Stuart Ford as someone they want to question in connection with the offences.

Next week Det Insp Moore is due to travel to Shrewsbury to liaise with the senior investigating officer.

And Skipton police are also investigating an attack on a cash dispensing machine at the town's Morrisons store last Thursday night.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang at about 10.30pm, and the badly damaged machine is now being examined by explosives experts in Kent

The police were alerted by a member of staff working at Herriot's Hotel, who heard the bang, and scenes of crime officers and forensic experts rushed to the scene.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident, and have been bailed pending further inquiries.

Police are appealing for witnesses to all three local incidents, and anyone with information is asked to contact Skipton CID on 01756 793377 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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