A PAIR who carried out an armed robbery on a village post office have both been handed lengthy jail terms.

Zak Bradbury, who stormed into the quiet shop in Oaksey demanding cash with a pistol in one hand and a hammer in the other, was sentenced to six years and his teenage getaway driver Kieren Wheeler, who denied knowing what was going on, was jailed for five years.

Bradbury, 21, burst into the store near Malmesbury at about 7.30am on Wednesday, May 18.

He ordered postmistress Natalie Morgan to load his rucksack with money and then demanded she hand over cigarettes, taking 14 packets of Mayfair, along with the £1,200, but dropping three as he fled.

The masked raider ran to a Renault Clio parked across the road in The Green where 19-year-old Wheeler, of Magnolia Court, Pinehurst, Swindon, had kept the engine running before screeching away.

But the hapless pair then drove past the premises giving the Miss Morgan a chance to note down the registration number of the car.

Although she got one of the letters wrong the vehicle was quickly picked up on automatic number plate recognition cameras and spotted in Chippenham.

A police car then covertly tailed it to Calne where the pair were holed up in Wheeler's brother's flat in Pym House, on The Knapp.

Half an hour later, after showering and changing clothes, they came out only for armed police to swoop and arrest the pair.

Bradbury, of no fixed abode, at first denied having anything to do with the robbery but as he was being led to a police van the gun fell from the waistband of his trousers.

Though he then admitted the offence, when it came to court a judge told him he had lied in the witness box to try and support his co-defendant.

Wheeler had pleaded not guilty saying that he thought he was just giving a mate a lift to his mum's and he then came out and put the gun to his head and told him to drive.

But following a trial at Swindon Crown Court a jury rejected his version of events and convicted him of the offences.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, read a victim personal statement in which Miss Morgan told how she had been left anxious about crowds as a result of her ordeal.

Alex Daymond, defending, said although his client initially appeared to show no remorse for what happened he had since changed his attitude.

He said he suffered from dissocial personality disorder but since he had been remanded in custody he had been medicated, improving his condition.

Mark Sharman, for Wheeler, said his client had insight into how it must have been for the victim and was sorry.

He said after a poor start to life he had been in work, as a team leader for Safe Style Windows, but was easily influenced by others.

Jailing them Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "This was an easy target for a robbery, Miss Morgan was on her own in the shop. She was behind the counter.

"There was no real security for that Post Office, such as a fully protective screen, all there was was a panic alarm button.

"She was in that shop at that time and in those circumstances was particularly vulnerable and you knew it.

"I have in the forefront of my mind the impact you had on her and probably several other people who live in the area. The impact with her was clearly significant and it will be with her for years."

He told Bradbury he said he did not believe he was now sorry for what he had done adding he lied at the trial of Wheeler, who he said played the lesser role.

After jailing them he also said that he would recommend Miss Morgan for an award from the High Sheriff.