A VILLAGE postmaster whose business was targeted by thieves armed with safe-breaking equipment has today insisted he will stay at the job.

Lee Stott has been at Marton-cum-Grafton post office, near Boroughbridge, for 29 years.

On Friday evening, intruders set fire to an alarm system and used a crowbar to break in before an oxyacetylene torch was used to cut a hole through the safe.

"It was a professional job, they cut the telephone wires, trashed the alarm system, battered down the door and got the top off the safe," he said.

Ryedale police have been dealing with a spate of recent incidents at post offices, including a vicious attack on Helmsley postmaster Geoff Simpson by a gang of men armed with a chainsaw.

It is not thought the latest incident at Marton-cum-Grafton is connected, although Sergeant Derrick Day, of Harrogate Police, said these thieves may have struck before.

He said: "There's a very strong possibility that this is linked with a theft at Bishop Monkton about a month ago. That was in similar circumstances with the alarm overcome by fire and a torch used to cut out the safe."

Mr Stott said today: "After reading about the raids in the Evening Press on Thursday we checked our security arrangements for panic buttons and so on - less than 48 hours later we were hit.

"I can understand others resigning, but I don't feel the same, I won't be taking the same course. The Post Office were really good, they came out as soon as they could and got straight in shovelling all the debris away."

Mr Stott said the shop reopened yesterday.

"It's a big job getting a new safe, everywhere is a real mess, the worst we have had."

A Post Office spokesman said: "We will be reviewing security arrangements at the office. We apologise to customers and advise people to use nearby offices at Knaresborough, Great Ouseburn and Boroughbridge."

Anyone with information about the raid should phone Harrogate police on 01423 539428.

In May 1995 Mr Stott refused to hand over cash after he was threatened by a robber who appeared to be wielding a gun in a carrier bag. Instead, he dialled 999 and the robber fled empty-handed - the postmaster chased him down the road but the man drove off. Mr Stott was presented with a bravery award for his actions.

Updated: 11:49 Tuesday, January 28, 2003