TERRIFIED villagers dived for cover as armed ram-raiders made their escape from an attempted robbery at a post office near York today.

Residents Paul and Sue Yoward witnessed the drama unfold as they were out walking their dog in Rufforth, near York, at about 12.45am.

They watched astonished as three thieves smashed through the front of the village post office and tried to steal a cash machine using a Land Rover.

Armed police went to the scene and searched the area after the alarm was raised, but nobody was found.

A neighbour, who would not be named, came out to investigate after hearing the bang.

"He heard one of the thieves shout 'get the shotgun out' because they had seen him," said Paul, 35, who is a landscaper gardener.

"We saw them get into a dark coloured car. They sped past us shouting and bawling with what looked like shotguns sticking out of the window. We dived behind our hedge for cover.

"I couldn't believe it - it was like something out of a film."

The thieves attached a chain to the cash machine in the post office and pulled it out using the Land Rover, which had earlier been stolen from Pudsey, Leeds.

But the thieves got away with nothing because the machine was empty. Paul said it had an "out of order" sign on the front of it.

"The Land Rover had black bin liners over it - I thought it was a police car at first. There was a massive bang as they smashed the front door.

"My wife Sue was in shock," Paul added. "I've never seen anything like this before."

Police said that a shotgun was mentioned but could not say for certain that a weapon was seen.

The thieves left the scene in a turquoise Vauxhall Cavalier and a black Mondeo, leaving the Land Rover behind.

Two robbers wielding a sledgehammer, a baseball bat and a knife struck at Rufforth Post Office two years ago while a terrified customer was inside the store.

They threatened stunned postmaster Steve Mackinnon and his assistant into handing over a large amount of cash before fleeing the store.

Updated: 16:48 Thursday, June 20, 2002