AN EVESHAM postmistress is recovering after she was grabbed around the neck and jabbed in the side with a screwdriver by a robber.

When he ordered her into the post office, inside Flyford Flavell stores, Leena Sheppard had the presence of mind to slam the door on the man, locking him out, and then she raised the alarm.

She said: "He was talking to me normally at first, then I turned my back on him and he grabbed me round my neck from behind. He pushed what I now believe was a screwdriver, into my side and told me to get into the post office.

"I didn't think, I just got in, slammed the door behind me, ducked down behind the counter and sounded the alarm."

Immediately afterwards, the man turned on Mrs Sheppard's assistant, who handed over the money from the shop till and he made off.

Mrs Sheppard said both she and her assistant were shaking after the robbery which took place last Friday afternoon, and it took them until Tuesday to recover sufficiently to be comfortable back at work.

The stranger first appeared in the shop at about 3.30pm when it was full of mothers and children home from school.

He had greasy slicked back hair and engaged Mrs Sheppard in a conversation about shampoo.

He later returned when the shop was empty.

Mrs Sheppard praised her assistant who did what she was ordered to do. "I was very relieved nobody was hurt," the postmistress said.

Her husband and joint owner of the business, Mike Sheppard said: "They were both brave and I am proud of them - the ordeal left them shaken."

Police want to hear from anyone who may have seen two vehicles, believed to be linked to the robbery.

A grey Ford Focus, stolen from which was involved in a crash on the B4092 Inkberrow to Astwood Bank Road junction with Dogbut Lane at about 3.50pm last Friday and a silver Nissan Micra taken from Astwood Bank on the same day and driven towards Astwood Bank.

Yesterday, a man and a woman were arrested and are now helping the police with their inquiries.