A FORMER policeman turned postmaster today relived the terrifying moment he was held at gunpoint by masked robbers.

David Jackson, 38, was working alone in Facit Post Office, Market Street, Whitworth, at 5.15pm on Tuesday, when three men wearing balaclavas burst in.

They forced a customer to lie on the floor before one of them hurled a large rock at the screen of the post office, which shattered, spraying Mr Jackson with shards of glass, cutting his face and breaking his spectacles.

Mr Jackson, who has run the post office for eight years, said it all happened within a matter of minutes and he was just glad to be alive.

But he slammed the lack of security measures in place in post offices.

He said he felt safer as a police officer, despite the fact he had to leave the force in 1994 because of a back injury when he was hit by a stolen car.

He said: "I was talking to a friend about going out and the next thing the screen in front of me just exploded. I honestly thought it was a shotgun because the glass was shattered in to millions of pieces.

"I was conscious I was covered in glass and my glasses wer knocked off but I was glad I was still standing.

"I could hear my friend was in some sort of scuffle and he was on the floor and then another man came to the side door and pointed a gun through the viewing hatch and demanded money from the safe.

"I opened the door from the inside and he just got the money and they quickly got out.

"It was surreal and I just couldn't believe it was happening. But I suppose I was quite lucky because I am still here to tell the tale."

Police said the robbers, who left on foot in the direction of the Civic Hall, escaped with a substantial amount of cash.

Officers launched an immediate search of the area using armed response teams and sniffer dogs but there was no trace of the men.

Detective Inspector Mark Gray, of Rawtenstall CID, said: "This was a very serious crime and must have been extremely frightening for both the postmaster and the customer.

"We have a dedicated team of officers working on the case and would appeal for anyone who saw a group acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the offence to come forward."

Mr Jackson said the post office would be closed until Monday, at the earliest.

He said: "When you work somewhere like this you know it could happen at some point.

"My mum had been working in the post office earlier on so I am just grateful she had gone. My wife worked here, too, but won't be coming back now. It's not safe.

"There's nothing to stop it happening again so I don't know what's going to happen yet.

"We are just out on a limb, often working alone and we need much more protection."

The robbery is not the first time the post office has been hit by raiders. In July 1998 an armed robber leapt onto the counter and threatened two workers with a gun when Mr Jackson was on holiday.

The masked raider shouted and waved a small, black pistol during the incident but fled empty handed when he was unable to get into a secure room.

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said: "We are investigating this incident along with the police.

"Clearly with 17,000 post offices post office security is a high priority.

"We spend a lot of money on it in regular liaison with the police on how best to protect our staff.

"However, if someone walks armed into a post office, there is only a limited amount of security that can prevent against that."

Anyone with any information should call Rawtenstall CID on 01706 237443 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.