A Postmaster at one of North Yorkshire's luckiest National Lottery ticket outlets has been hailed a hero after foiling a three-man raid.

Ronnie Condon, 41, was badly bitten on the cheek after wrestling one of the raiders to the ground and forcing him to drop a large amount of cash.

The money had just been delivered to Byram Park Post Office, near Selby, which has been the source of several winning Lottery tickets.

The drama began when two of the raiders, wearing balaclavas and wielding a pickaxe handle and sledgehammer, entered the shop at 9.30am last Friday.

Mr Condon, who will need to take an Aids test because of the bite, said: "One of them smashed the counter with a sledgehammer and glass was sprayed all over my wife Anthea and assistant Tracy who were behind it. One of the men climbed over the counter to grab the money while the other went outside.

"I managed to make the second man drop the cash by trapping his left arm in the door.

"We started punching each other and he bit me quite severely. Unfortunately they got away."

Meanwhile, a passing motorist suffered a leg injury when he tried to block the path of the getaway car containing a third man.

His Montego was rammed by the raiders' blue Honda car, which had been stolen from Wetherby last Thursday.

Staff in a Post Office van, which had just delivered the cash, then saw what was happening and blocked in the Honda.

The three raiders escaped on foot and at least one is believed to have tried to hijack a coal wagon.

Mr Condon then chased the getaway driver but lost him over the A1.

Detective Sergeant Dave Pegg, of Selby Police, said: "In most cases police officers would advise members of the public not to take action like Mr Condon and the driver of the Montego car.

"However, in these circumstances you can have nothing but admiration for the action taken by both men.

"They demonstrated a great deal of courage and public spiritedness."

Mr Condon said: "I don't feel like a hero - I was just acting on instinct."

Police would like to speak to the driver of the coal wagon and anyone who witnessed the incident.

Anyone with information should contact Selby CID on 01904 669651.

The Evening Press exclusively reported earlier this year that Byram is one of the luckiest places in Britain to buy a Lottery ticket after two villagers each scooped more than £1.6 million.