WOMEN staff hid under the counter in terror as a masked raider wielding a claw hammer tried to smash the glass partition at a post office.

Wearing sun glasses, blue washing-up gloves and a scarf over his face, Darren Angoy rushed into the village store and mumbled something incoherent to the two women on duty at the post office counter.

Prosecutor, Eleanor Fargin, told Southampton Crown Court the track-suited 23-year-old then struck the glass up to ten times.

The two women, Sally Collingwood and Wendy Bennett, pressed an audio alarm as they were being showered with glass before Angoy ran off.

A young shop assistant gave chase and, thanks to help from passers-by, staff were able to get part of the registration number of a black Audi waiting outside with its engine running.

Angoy was heard to shout “Drive! Drive!” as he got into the front passenger seat of the vehicle, which sped off.

The car was traced and Angoy, of Copse Close, North Baddesley, was arrested.

Mrs Collingwood sustained seven minor cuts and Mrs Bennett suffered shock, having at one stage feared for her life, believing the raider to be armed with a gun.

The Co-op in Marchwood remained shut for the remainder of the day, as police to carried out investigations, at a cost of over £1,300.

When questioned, Angoy initially denied any involvement in the incident, which took place at about 2pm on August 12.

However, he later confessed, saying how he had lost his job about six weeks before and had split up with his wife. He had hatched the robbery plan because he was under financial pressure.

“He said he had been in the store the day before and realised that pressure could be satisfied by taking the money. His conscience got the better of him when he started smashing the window and he left,” said defence barrister David Jenkins .

Mr Jenkins told the court Angoy had suffered problems with anger management. He had stopped taking medication because he did not want to be different from anyone else, but he had kept out of trouble for five years.

“He simply cannot understand why he came to this decision and is desperately sorry,” he said.

Angoy admitted attempted robbery and was jailed for three years.

Passing sentence, Judge Gary Burrell, QC, said businesses such as small post offices were susceptible because they represented easy targets and courts would protect them by passing sentences to deter others.