POSTMASTER Rich-ard Watkins was "scared to death" when he stabbed a masked raider armed with a sawn-off shotgun during an attempted robbery at Wolverley Post Office.

In a struggle for the gun, Mr Watkins lunged out with a lock knife he normally used for undoing bundles of newspapers and plunged it into the heart of 28-year-old Scott Griffiths, Worcester Crown Court heard.

The body of Griffiths was found in the back of a stolen car near his home in Blaze Park, Wall Heath, a short time later.

The prosecution alleges that the Wolverley raid was the last in a series plotted by a Black Country gang which targeted vulnerable business premises.

Mr Watkins was not called to give evidence as the trial entered its third week but his statement was read by prosecution counsel, Mr Richard Latham QC.

In it, he said: "I have never experienced anything like this in my life before. Any actions I took were to safeguard my life."

Wayne Davies, 26, of Himley Road, Dudley, Michelle Sykes, 21, of Sudderley Gardens, Milking Bank, Gornal, Neal Frost, 33, of George Street, Wordsley, and Patrick Crane, 38, of no fixed address, plead not guilty to conspiracy to rob.

Davies and Frost also deny having a sawn-off shotgun when committing an offence.

Mr Watkins, a 6ft 4in 19-stone postmaster, told how he opened the stores on June 20 last year and two strangers, one wearing a pulled-down baseball cap and the other a balaclava, ordered him to open the Post Office cubicle.

The threats petrified him and he described it as a harrowing experience. The gun was held about a foot from his face and was later used to hit him.

He said: "Regardless of the threats being made to my life, I would not let them steal the money which is mine and my family's livelihood."

After he was struck, he grabbed the barrel of the gun with one hand and struck out with the knife with his other hand.

He stabbed the raider up to four times. "I did this because I was scared to death," he said. "I did it to make him let go of the gun. It was a very traumatic few seconds."

Mr Watkins, who later had three stitches in his head wound, saw the injured raider staggering about and then being pulled into the getaway car by an accomplice.

The shotgun and a holdall were left behind.

The trial continues.