Postmistress Margarita Morgan was attacked by robbers during a raid on her post office.o The three men, one brandishing an iron bar, raided the Sandleigh Post Office, in Wootton, near Abingdon, at 4.45pm on Monday, striking 65-year-old Mrs Morgan in the face.

The raiders escaped with £3,500 in cash, though thousands of pounds in the safe were protected after Mrs Morgan's assistant, who asked not to be named, hid the keys in a rubbish bin.

Mrs Morgan, who has run the post office for 15 years, was too shaken to talk to the Oxford Mail, but her husband, David Morgan, 68, said: "I understand two of the robbers climbed over the top of an 8ft high shield, while the other one smashed the glass window with a metal bar.

"They threatened them both and my wife was beaten up and punched in the face because she would not give them the keys to the safe.

"The assistant managed to grab the safe keys and throw them into the rubbish bin."

The raiders left in a yellow Ford Sierra which had been stolen in Wootton earlier that day.

Mr Morgan added: "They were both incredibly brave to hide the safe keys. It's amazing they tried to take the raiders on because they are both quite slight.

"The assistant was very quick thinking. It was a very resourceful thing to do. Both ladies were determined not to let the thieves have the money.

"We are quite fortunate because it could have been a lot worse."

Police found the getaway car abandoned in Coupland Road, Wootton, on Monday night.

DS David Horsburgh, of Thames Valley Police, said: "This was a particularly violent attack carried out by organised individuals."

Mr Morgan added: "I'm very shocked and annoyed by the raid, but we've had tremendous support from local people. We are quite well known in the village."

One customer said she had been deeply shocked by what had happened.

Florist Siobhan Rhodes, who works near the post office, said: "It's a bit scary because I'm on my own most of the time, and we didn't even know that she was being attacked. I think there needs to be CCTV down here."

It is not known when the post office will reopen but, in the meantime, customers are advised to use branches in Cumnor, Botley, Kingston Bagpuize or Northcourt Road in Abingdon.

A spokesman for the Post Office said: "They will get full support from the Post Office, including trauma counselling, but we advise staff not to do anything which puts themselves or customers in danger."

Police are appealing for any witnesses who saw the robbery, or the gang abandoning and stealing the vehicle, to call them on 08458 505505 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.