A MASKED raider thought to be just 16 threatened post office staff with a gun before leaving empty handed.

The youth walked into Dill Hall Lane post office, Church, at 4.30pm yesterday and demanded cash.

The only staff in at the time were a relief manager and his wife, thought to be in their 50s, who refused to hand over the money.

The postmaster, named locally as Alan Holden, was away from the premises.

The offender, a white male, then banged on the glass partition which separates customers from staff with the handgun and left.

Residents in the mostly terraced street spoke of their shock.

Olive Hill, 81, who lives next door to the end-terraced post office said: "It is frightening. They were very brave.

"You don't expect that kind of thing around here. It is not a crime-filled area."

Dorothy Riley, 61, who lives opposite the branch, said: "It has never happened there before and I have been here since 1969."

Neighbour Wayne Taylor, 61, said: "It is a shock. I am glad nobody was hurt."

Insp Graham Ashcroft said: "A male entered the post office and asked staff to hand him money.

"They refused and he then banged on the glass partition with a handgun and then left the scene empty handed.

"The staff are a little bit shook up. We would appeal to anybody who was in the Dill Hall Lane area at the time or who may know the offender to contact Accrington CID."

The youth was 16 or 17, 5ft 4ins, slim, wearing dark clothing and a balaclava and carrying a black handgun. He had a local accent.