Terrified customers were threatened by two armed robbers who burst into a post office and fired a shot into the air today.

The masked men struck at St John's Post Office on New Hey Road in Bowling just after 9am when it opened for business.

They fired a shot into the ceiling and demanded the contents of the till from the shocked post office owner who handed over cash.

Around six people were in the shop at the time of the attack and were threatened by the gunman.

The robbers then made off in a waiting green Honda Civic, which had been stolen from Heaton overnight, and was driven by an accomplice.

It was found burnt out at The Greenway in Pollard Park, Undercliffe, a short time after the robbery.

Philip King, who runs King's Butchers next to the post office, said he saw two men passing the front of his shop.

He said: "One had a shotgun and they were wearing balaclavas.

''I looked outside and saw a car parked in the side street and I quickly rang the police.

"I heard what I presume was the crack of a shotgun which I think was fired into the ceiling.

"It happened just after 9am so the post office was busy with people picking up their pensions. There must have been five or six people in there."

He said the woman who ran the post office was very distressed by the incident which was not the first time the business had been targeted.

"I don't think there has been an armed robbery there before, but people have tried to hold it up with knives," he said.

Police sealed the road off for scenes of crime officers to examine the area and buses were diverted.

The raid follows three robberies last month when post offices in Girlington, Heaton and East Bierley were hit.

A grandmother was also threatened with a toy gun by a teenager outside New Hey Post Office, Bowling, in January.

Anyone who has any information about the robbery or saw the car should contact Bradford South CID on (01274) 376459 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.