An armed robber who held two members of staff and a customer at gunpoint during an attempted raid on a Shrewsbury post office might have had an accomplice, police revealed today.

Detectives also said the gunman might have staked out Frankwell Post Office before the raid at 5pm on Wednesday. CCTV footage is now being checked.

Police today said they had had a good response from witnesses but the hunt for the gunman was continuing.

The man fled empty-handed from the premises in New Street after brandishing a handgun and demanding money. No shots were fired and no-one was hurt.

Detective Inspector Neil Jamieson said the incident was not being connected to raids on two other county post offices this year, at Low Town in Bridgnorth and at Waters Upton, near Telford.

He said: “Quite a few people have contacted us and we have identified two customers we asked to come forward who were in the post office immediately before and just after the raid. We have also found another customer who went into the premises shortly after.

Mr Jamieson made a specific appeal over sightings of two young men acting suspiciously before the incident.

He said: “It’s quite possible they were watching the post office, or the immediate area, well before 5pm.

“We have had several witnesses come forward reporting seeing two youths wearing hoodies near the flats at the back of the post office at about 11am and again at 1pm to 1.30pm.

“These two may not be connected and if that’s the case, I would urge them to come forward so we can eliminate them from our enquiries.”