VILLAGERS HAVE rallied in support of a plucky Greenfield sub postmistress after two customers made official complaints they could not collect parcels because her premises were closed after an armed robbery.
Mandy Gorey and her assistants were threatened by two robbers, one armed with a gun and the other with an axe, at the post office on Chew Valley Road last month.
A shocked mother of two altered emergency services after being unable to get in the post office and spotting a man through the window who appeared to be blocking the door.
The raiders made off with a quantity of cash on a high-powered Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle as police sent a team of patrol cars to the scene and sealed off the post office.
Mandy said: “It was quiet in the office at the time then two men barged through the door demanding cash. One was holding a hand gun and one an axe.
“The ordeal was terrifying — it lasted about three minutes but, in truth, it felt like ten minutes. It was if it was happening in slow motion. They left because we had a guardian angel.”
A window has since been added into the door of the post office.
Detective Sergeant John Coleman, based at Oldham police station said: “Staff at the post office have been left extremely distressed following the robbery and we have a number of officers working to identify the two men responsible.
“I would encourage anyone who saw this motorbike and the two men either before the robbery, or after it, to please get in touch and tell us what you saw.
“You may think your information is only trivial, but it could be vital to our investigation,” he added.
Despite being in shock, Mandy, who has run the post office for 13 years, reopened for business 48 hours after the drama.
But she immediately faced an internal investigation after two customers complained to her bosses they could not collect parcels.
Friends and customers learned of Mandy’s anguish in a note she posted thanking them for their good wishes on the window and counter of her tiny post office.
She declared: “If the two people who made a complaint to customer services about not being able to collect their parcels while we were closed would like to make yourself known we will explain the severity of the ordeal personally.”
Local Parish councillor Neil Allsopp commented: “The post office is the centre of the community and we are more interested in the real victims – Mandy and her team – not someone who has not been able to collect a parcel.
“Mandy is an integral part of the village and a marvellous asset. We are all pleased she is operating her business again – something for which we should be grateful.”
Popular Mandy organises a wide range of fundraising initiatives in the community and recently tided up areas of Uppermill and Greenfield canal path with her friend Ann Jones.
Mike Rooke, secretary of Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents Association, added: “The events at our post office have really shocked our community.
“Our association wishes to give Mandy and her hard working staff our full support in these difficult circumstances.”
A Post Office spokesperson said: “Any robbery is very traumatic for victims and we will be supporting police in their efforts to apprehend those responsible.
“We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused during the temporary closure of the branch following the incident; it is now open as normal.”
Meanwhile just two hours earlier a convoy of rescue vehicles and two helicopters raced to save a workman trapped in a 25-ft deep hole off Shaw Hall Bank Road.
Emergency services were called when the workman, employed by a contractor at the United Utilities water treatment plant near the River Tame, received a leg injury while he was working in an inspection shaft.
A cavalcade of fire crews from Oldham and Mossley, the North West Ambulance Service and police raced to the scene.
They were backed by special off-road vehicles from Bolton North and others with special appliances while two air ambulance helicopters were mobilised and landed at the scene.
Station Manager Ben Levy said: “It was quite a challenging incident because we were dealing with the casualty in a confined space.
“The man had a leg injury and was treated at the base of the hole by a doctor from the Air Ambulance, a firefighter Trauma Technician and North West Ambulance Service.
“He was then placed on a stretcher and raised using rope rescue equipment and winches. The different agencies worked well together to bring the man to the surface and treat him.”
The injured man was taken to hospital by Air Ambulance.
Anyone with information about the Greenfield Post Office robbery is asked to contact GMP officers at Oldham police station on 0161 856 8985 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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