ROBBERS are being hunted after they carried out a terrifying gunpoint raid on a village post office.

The pair, one carrying a gun, entered the Premier convenience store and sub post office in Cressing at 12.30pm on Tuesday and demanded worker Tracey-Lee Bradford hand over cash.

They then fled the Evelyn Wood Road on store on foot.

The police helicopter and officers were unsuccessfully scrambled to find them.

Yesterday, Essex Police released CCTV images of the two raiders.

The robbery is not being linked to a spate of other incidents in the district in recent months.

Mrs Bradford’s daughter Leanne Piper, 24, rushed there from work when she heard the news.

She said: “Mum has worked at the shop for a couple of years and she enjoys being around people, she knows everybody.

“I just can’t believe there was a gun involved, anybody can do anything these days, you can’t trust anybody.”

Leanne’s sister Laurie, 22, added: “Mum is an incredible worker, and we are over the moon that she is OK.”

There was nothing their mum could have done to prevent the incident, but the sisters have warned other shop workers to be cautious.

Laurie said: “People just need to look at every single precaution they can.

“Always think of the worst that could happen and always try to prevent it.”

Police are looking for two men following the incident.

The man with the gun was white, wearing a dark blue hoodie and dark coloured bottoms.

His accomplice was white, tall, possibly aged in his mid 30s and wearing a grey hoodie.

Acting Det Insp Ed Mayo, of the Essex and Kent Serious Crime Di - rectorate, said: “We would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time of the robbery or in the moments leading up to it who may have seen anything sus- picious.

“We are also keen to hear from anyone who may have captured the incident or the suspects on Dash Cams or mobile phones.”