EXCLUSIVE by: ELAINE KING HERO John Everett tackled masked raiders who attacked Parson Drove Post Office on Tuesday, hitting one of the men with his own crow bar. Mr Everett – who served for 22 years in the navy and runs the post office with his wife Patr

EXCLUSIVE by: ELAINE KING

HERO John Everett tackled masked raiders who attacked Parson Drove Post Office on Tuesday, hitting one of the men with his own crow bar.

Mr Everett - who served for 22 years in the navy and runs the post office with his wife Patricia - says he "just switched to automatic" as he grabbed the crow bar and issued a loud war cry.

The modest 67-year-old said: "My military training just kicked in. I shouted a war cry, a loud shout that took them by surprise.

"You shout very loudly and step into their space, and open your eyes very wide at theirs, they don't like it. Hopefully I gave one of them a real shock, and a sore arm."

Tuesday's raid happened around 5pm, when Mr Everett was alone behind the post office security glass. His wife had gone to the toilet, and saw nothing of the crime.

"That gave me room for action," said Mr Everett. "The customers had left and I was doing the daily checks, when bang, bang, this fellow appeared and smashed the security glass with a two-foot long crowbar."

"Like a car windscreen, glass went everywhere; it went off with quite a bang. He hit the glass a number of times, and while he did that, I hit the alarm.

"I put some things aside so he could not reach them, I took the crowbar off him, and hit him with it. I swung at him as he reached through.

"That man shouted to the other man standing behind with a baseball bat, and they left.

"I had managed to knock a lot of contents of the till on to the floor, so they didn't get away with that much; they only got the minimum amount. It was postage stamps and cash."

The thieves left in a blue 4x4 vehicle, that was later found abandoned in the river at Honey Hill Road, Gorefield.

This was the third raid to be suffered by the Everetts since they took over the post office six years ago, but on the two previous occasions they were away on holiday.

In 2005 raiders got away with a substantial amount of money, and in 2007 would-be thieves unsuccessfully tried to tow a cash machine out with a chain.

Det Sgt Matt Swash, of Fenland Serious Crime Team, said: "This was a serious and potentially extremely violent robbery, and we're anxious to catch those responsible quickly.

"I'm anxious to hear from anyone who may have seen or hard anything suspicious near the post office or the spot where the vehicle was found.

"We also want to hear from anyone at any time who saw or heard anything, or saw or heard anything suspicious outside other post offices or business premises."

CONTACT: Det Sgt Swash on 0345 456 4564, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.