TWO youths who took part in a bungled post office raid have received custodial sentences after admitting attempted robbery.

Jobless Carl Mitchell, 18, and accomplice John Winter, 20, went into the Berwick sub-post office last October and demanded cash from postmistress Beryl Smith.

Winter threatened to shoot her after pretending a wheelbrace under his clothing was a gun, Lewes Crown Court was told.

But the pair fled empty-handed after Mrs Smith activated alarms.

Both were detained nearby after Mrs Smith's son and a passer-by caught them.

Jobless Mitchell, of Priory Road, Eastbourne, and Eastbourne College of Arts and Technology student Winter, of Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne, both pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.

Mitchell, who had no previous convictions, was sent to a young offenders institution for three and a half years.

Winter, also of previous good character, received a three-year term and a further 18 months after admitting burglary and asking for 14 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Police are investigating the involvement of two other men in the raid.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.