A TERRIFIED assistant was threatened with a kitchen knife when two raiders struck at a village post office.

Two men entered the Begbroke shop claiming that their van had broke down.

But one of the men then suddenly pulled a white scarf over his face and pulled out a knife, demanding cash.

The assistant, in her 30s, handed over £300 from the lottery till and the two men escaped in a white van.

Det Con Andy Roberts said: "It was a frightening experience for the assistant. She was left very shocked.

"It is possible the van had been parked outside for some time until the men saw that the shop was empty."

He appealed for any witnesses who saw the van parked near the post office on the A44 between Oxford and Woodstock, or who may have seen two men acting suspiciously.

The raid took place at 5.30 pm on Wednesday.

Store owner Jim Pertwee said he was in a back room when the raid took place.

He rushed out as the men were driving off in the van.

He said: "The police arrived very quickly and the police helicopter was used."

Police said the men were both white, aged between 25 to 35 and wearing baseball hats.

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