ARMED police and a force helicopter were deployed during a dramatic arrest in Andover following an attempted armed robbery at Leckford Post Office.

The incident happened at around 1pm on Monday when two men entered the post office and demanded money from the 50-year-old owner.

One of the raiders was carrying what the owner believed to be a gun but it wasn't used.

The owner refused to hand over any cash.

The men fled in what a witness described as a blue Ford Sierra, driven by another man.

No one else was inside the post office at the time of the incident and nobody was injured.

Pc Ted Reynolds said a little while later a sharp-eyed police officer in a marked vehicle spotted a car matching the description of the Sierra as it travelled through Andover.

The car was followed until it stopped in the Wessex Gardens area where all three occupants ran off. Armed police and a police dog unit were used in the search for the men.

The Dorset police helicopter was drafted in to help and officers from throughout Andover division were deployed.

The whole operation, from the time the two men left the post office until the arrests, lasted about half an hour.

Police say an airgun was recovered during the arrest.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who was in Leckford on Monday afternoon who may have seen the offenders or a blue Ford Sierra.

They would also like to hear from the driver of a white Transit van who was seen close to the post office, prior to the incident.

Police believe the driver of the van may have seen the offenders.

Anyone with information should contact Det Sgt Gareth George at Andover CID on 0845 045 45 45.

The two men who entered the post office demanding money were wearing scarves over their faces.

It is not known if the driver of the getaway vehicle was wearing a scarf.