AN ARMED robber threatened Post Office staff with a knife before fleeing the scene in Newport yesterday afternoon.

Police are appealing for information after the incident at Rhiwderin Post Office on Tredegar Street at around 1.15pm on Friday.

It is the second time that the post office has been the victim of an armed robbery, with the long-serving owner Howard Jones saying he was relieved that his wife, the post-mistress, was unharmed.

He added the couple will now consider retirement after the latest ordeal.

A Gwent Police spokesman said a man dressed all in black entered the premises brandished a knife and demanded money, before leaving empty handed.

The knife was left at the premises and the man made off on foot up Tredegar Street.

Post mistress Jackie Jones and a customer were in the store at the time, but neither were harmed by the armed robbery.

Enquiries to locate the offender are currently ongoing.

It has since been reported that a white man with red hair and dressed all in black was seen hanging around the area at 10am this morning.

A woman, who did not want to be named, also said that she saw a man under the railway bridge dressed all in black, wearing a hoody, who looked ‘dodgy’ at around 1pm.

Officers are keen to identify and speak to this man.

Mr Jones, who has owned the post office for the last 18 years, said: “I missed it by about 20 minutes.

“My wife tried to phone me but I was already on my way.

“There were police everywhere when I got here.”

He added:“I haven’t had the chance to speak to her [his wife Mrs Jones] as she has been with the police since the robbery.”

In September 2010 Mrs Jones was pushed to the floor as she tried to stop a knifepoint robbery.

Thomas Fletcher, who was aged 18 at the time, was eventually sent to a young offenders institute for three years and eight months, while his accomplices Ali Miah, who was aged 18, of Norbury Road, Cardiff, and a 15-year-old from Newport who could not be named for legal reasons, were sent to a young offenders institution for two-and-a-half years and 18 months respectively for their parts in the robbery.

Mr Jones added: “We had been thinking about retiring so this might speed things up.”

Jason Read, who lives nearby, said he was shocked when he heard what happened: “It’s a lovely area and a nice little community.

“Jackie and Howard are a lovely couple and they need to feel secure in their work.

“They work hard and then something like this happens.

“It’s such a pity.”

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call 101 quoting log 210 30/10/15.