POLICE have been praised for their swift action in arresting three men following a robbery at Rockwell Green Post Office and Stores.

Members of Wellington Town Council at their latest monthly meeting were told that the suspects were apprehended within two hours of the incident. Councillors expressed their satisfaction at the way the police reacted to the robbery.

Brett Spiller, 27, and Dean Spiller, 36, both of Markesbury Road, Bedminster, and James Briggs, 42, of no fixed abode, were remanded in custody the next day by Bath and Wansdyke Magistrates and will appear jointly at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, June 30.

The post office has been run for the past 15 years by Mr and Mrs Haran Niranjan, who are originally from Sri Lanka.

Mrs Niranjan, who was on her own in the stores when the robbery occurred, said yesterday: “I have been told by the police I will only have to go to court if one of the men pleads not guilty.

“Everyone has been so nice to me – bringing in flowers and sweets. I was a bit shaken after the incident but I’m alright now.”

Meanwhile police told councillors there were 59 crimes in the previous four weeks in the Wellington area.

These included another robbery of personal property, threats to kill and taking or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children, plus numerous thefts from shops and stalls.