An heroic postmaster who took on armed robbers during a raid at his business near the Shropshire/Welsh border has been told he may have to pay back £9,000 of the £54,000 cash stolen.

David Taylor, postmaster at Cefn Mawr Post Office, had his skull split open after one of the raiders twice hit him on the head with a metal bar on July 16.

His wife Janine, 45, was forced to the floor at gunpoint as the gang of the men struck at the village store and post office.

Mr Taylor, 46, even clung to the bonnet of the getaway car in a bid to stop them

But Post Office bosses have written to him saying he may be liable for £9,000 because the safe was left open momentarily as Mrs Taylor opened the front door to her husband. Seconds later the robbers struck.

In a letter the Post Office said as security procedures “seem not to have been followed we currently consider you may be liable to £8,835.”

Mr Taylor said he was stunned by the news.

Robbers

He said the safe door was left open momentarily as he got stock from his car and his wife had come to help.

Mr Taylor said if she had closed the safe it would have taken another 10 minutes to open it again and a queue would have built up. He said robbers pushed him to the ground and put a gun to his wife’s head before throwing her to the floor. He was bludgeoned and the robbers fled but not before he tackled them again.

A Post Office spokesman said: “Post Office Limited takes incidents of robberies very seriously particularly so when violence is involved.

“We act extremely sensitively throughout these distressing times and always offer support to our subpostmasters and their families.

“However, at an appropriate juncture, it is important to discuss the details of such incidents with the subpostmaster involved.

“In the case of Cefn Mawr discussions between representatives of Post Office Limited and our agent are ongoing and no final conclusions or decisions have been made.”

Two men have been charged with possession of an offensive weapon and robbery.

By Iain St John