A JUDGE spoke on Thursday of the "anger and disgust" about the raid on a village post office - but also a feeling of "great admiration for the tenacity and bravery" of the couple who owned it and elderly neighbours who went to their aid and fought back.

Judge David Hale had been told of the hold-up at Rhosybol post office and shop in Anglesey last November by two masked men, one armed with a crowbar.

It led to the owners Steven, 62, and Anwen Pye, 60, shocked by their ordeal, deciding to shut down after 14 years of 12-hour days - leaving the village of eleven hundred without a shop.

One neighbour felled 36-year-old Thomas Haywood with a Lottery sign and he and another man sat on him until police arrived. During a violent struggle a couple hurled plastic bottles of soft drinks to try and disrupt the raiders.

Zak Corbett, 43, of no fixed address, who had been jailed for previous robberies and had wielded the crowbar, was sent to prison for twelve years with an extended licence period of three years, and Haywood, of Tynygongl, Anglesey, got eight years and four months.

Judge Hale told the two men in the dock at Caernarfon crown court, who pleaded guilty to robbery and theft of £150: "The shop was closed last year - because of what you did." It had meant hardship not only to the owners but to the community.

Jo Maxwell, prosecuting, said minor injuries and damage had been caused during the struggle. Corbett had got away but was arrested later.

The owners had decided to give up because of the lasting effect of the raid on their lives, and Mrs Pye couldn't even bear to enter the shop. She had described Corbett as "manic" and they feared retribution. A local councillor had spoken about how well respected they are in the community and how vital the post office had been.

Miss Maxwell recalled how Mrs Pye had been alone in the shop at 5.15pm. "Corbett came behind the counter and pushed past her making his way to the till to the right of the shop while Haywood made towards the post office area at the rear. She stated that it was now clear to her that they were being robbed and she began to shout for her husband.

"Steven has then entered the shop and restrained Hayward near the post office. Haywood injured Mr Pye by bending his fingers and Mr Pye sustained a blow to his face. His injuries were a cut lip and bloodied nose, displaced teeth and ongoing difficulties with dexterity in his hand.

"Mrs Pye was yelling at them to get out of the shop and Corbett was yelling back at her to open the till. She noticed that Corbett had hold of a crowbar which he was attempting to use to force open the till. "

Miss Maxwell said : "Mrs Pye ran to her neighbour Lionel Joynson, 78, a short distance away and banged on the door and told him to dial 999 before running back to the shop, shouting that the police were on their way. But Corbett did not desist."

Mr Joynson and his 77-year-old wife Gloria went to the shop with another friend Brian Roberts, in his late 60s. Corbett became frantic and the Joynsons threw bottles at him.

"Mr Joynson reached across the counter towards Corbett, who responded by swinging the crowbar towards him, narrowly missing his head.

"Mr Roberts also tried to intervene and Corbett swung the crowbar towards him also. Mr Roberts's hand was hit with Corbett's hand, causing pain and swelling."

As the robbers tried to get away Mr Roberts swung the metal Lottery sign at Haywood, who fell to the floor after being hit in the stomach. Mr Joynson and Mr Roberts then "detained him" until police arrived, and Corbett fled.

Simon Mintz, representing Haywood, who also admitted having cannabis, said the crowbar had not been used during the struggle but had been taken to threaten and open the till. His previous convictions were relatively trivial.

For Corbett, barrister Jonathon Austin said the offence was drug-related. "He was in desperate straits to pay back his debts and threats had been made."

Judge Hale imposed a restraining order banning the pair from making any contact with Mr and Mrs Pye.

After the case Det Insp Gerwyn Thomas described the attack as "an appalling act of violence at a village post office which has left the victims and close knit community understandably traumatised."

He added : "The postmaster was attacked but had the courage to stand up to the offenders and with assistance of brave members of the public they managed to detain Haywood until my uniformed colleagues, who were quickly on the scene, arrived to arrest him. I'd publicly like to acknowledge their bravery and the assistance we had from members of the local community.

"Corbett fled the scene and area but thanks to an alert PCSO in Sheffield he too was eventually arrested in December."

The detective inspector welcomed the sentences and said "the region is a safer place with them both behind bars."