Woman chases two armed robbers across countryside on horse

Two armed men who had just robbed a village post office were chased across the countryside by a vigilant neighbour on a horse.

Cathy Sugden, who lives near Aldington in Kent, was riding her horse yesterday when she saw two men running across the fields, one carrying an orange "swag bag."

After shouting at the men that they were "on private property" she gave chase on her trusty horse Mr Smiffy.

She said: "I saw them and thought that doesn't look normal. They just kept running and I was telling them to stop.

"They would not have been expecting to see a woman screaming like a banshee galloping after them. It really freaked them out - they were not expecting that."

The men, both white, managed to escape but Mrs Sugden managed to call the police to tell them she was hot footing the robbers.

She then went home to get her car and found the men, who were still running, and called the police again.

Two cars full of armed police turned up as well as the police helicopter but they were unable to find the men.

Earlier that day, at around 1.30pm, two men reportedly armed with a gun and crowbar smashed their way in to the post office in Roman Road, Aldington.

Murrukumarasamy Skandakumar, who bought the post office in February, said the incident had left him and his wife very shaken.

He said: "My wife hid and they were shouting and she locked the kiosk door. He broke the glass of the post office and then went through the hatch to take the money."

The suspects are described as white men of slim build. One was 5ft 8in tall, the other slightly taller at 5ft 10in tall. Both were wearing hooded tops and grey face masks at the time of the robbery but were later seen wearing tracksuits, one grey and one navy.

Anyone who thinks they know the whereabouts of these men is asked to contact Kent Police.