THREE men travelled from Birmingham to carry out a planned attack on Watchet Post Office, but fled empty-handed, were caught by police and have now been given jail sentences at Taunton Crown Court.

And people in Watchet were praised in court for their quick thinking which helped in tracking the gang as they headed towards the M5.

Two of the gang, wearing masks, walked into the shop at about 11am on May 2 with one holding what appeared to be an 18-inch long baseball bat.

He jumped over the counter but sub-postmistress Katie Kennedy shut the security door and ran to her husband at the back of the shop, the court was told.

The raider kicked the security glass a number of times and hit it with the bat but failed to break in and they made off, said Caroline Bolt, prosecuting.

Witnesses saw them enter a silver car and took note of the registration number as it headed towards the railway station, where it was abandoned.

Three men were seen running over the railway lines to a second car which then drove off but was stopped by police near Cannington just after midday.

The first car was owned by a brother of one of the defendants, Martin Gunning, who was in custody at the time, said Miss Bolt.

Gunning, 22, and Thomas Freeman, 26, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and were each jailed for two and a half years. Freeman was also given 26 weeks consecutive for breach of a suspended sentence.

Kaesar Ali, 24, who pleaded guilty to assisting an offender, was sentenced to 12 months, which meant his immediate release from custody due to the time spent on remand.

Tristan Harwood, defending Gunning and Freeman, said there was no actual robbery and the threat of force was implicit. They used a sledgehammer, which caused considerable fear, but it was not a weapon – more a tool, he added.

No threats were made and the intention was to break the window and get whatever was behind it, which could not be of high value because "most people know rural post offices don't hold more than £4,000, if that", he said.

He added that, while it may look like a pre-planned robbery attempt, it was an opportunistic offence and planning was "at a fairly low level".

"They were in despair and hit on the idea of committing an offence and went out in the brother's car and intended to steal something... It was poorly planned and not well thought out," said Mr Harwood.

He said Freeman, a plasterer, had been unable to work after being stabbed in one eye with a screwdriver in a late-night attack. He was unable to claim benefits because he was thought to have been involved in gang violence and had also lost his girlfriend.

Gunning's girlfriend, a trainee schoolteacher, was standing by him, said Mr Harwood. He was a forklift-truck driver but was made redundant shortly before his flat was burgled and he lost savings of £6,000. He thought he could make some quick money and is extremely remorseful, he added.

Patrick Mason, for Ali, the car driver, said his client had been held in a remand centre for six and a half months.

Recorder Martin Meeke QC said all three defendants had committed previous  offences. A "determined" attempt was made to enter the post office area but was thwarted by the security door. They did not assault or threaten anyone, but their conduct caused obvious fear and distress.

"It's a testament to many citizens in Watchet that they took note of you and your descriptions and of the car and, as a result, police were able to stop you near Bridgwater," he said.