The owner of a post office who grappled with an armed robber has described his actions as "survival instinct".

Tim Willis, 43, was alone in the Windmill Hill Post Office, near Herstmonceux, when a masked gunman ran into the shop pointing the gun at him at about 12.40pm.

It was the third time in six months the post office had been raided and Mr Willis decided to confront the offender.

Mr Willis, who is married with two daughters, said: "This exact same scenario had happened twice before so I knew exactly what he wanted, but I just flipped. I shouted 'not a third time' and grabbed his arms as tight as I could.

"All I was thinking was to keep the gun away from me and get him out of the shop. I was pushing him out and was round the other side of the counter when we bounced off the edge and I lost my grip. As I fell I grabbed his wig and pulled it off and he fled from the shop empty handed."

Mr Willis has experienced three raids in December 2005, March 2006 and the latest on May 31. In the first two incidents the robber threatened his wife and escaped with cash from the safe. After the second incident CCTV cameras were installed which captured the latest raid on film.

Wealden Police have released CCTV footage and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

A reward of £5,000 has been offered for information received before September 14 which leads to an arrest.

Mr Willis, who suffered swollen fingers in the attack, said: "I didn't think about being brave, it was just a survival instinct when I saw the gun. During the tussle I remember him shouting 'it's real'."

The gunman is 5ft 10in, medium build, and was wearing blue overalls with a red and silver logo on one side, a mask and long black hair wig and was carrying a white plastic bag. A black saloon car was also seen nearby at the time.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Wealden CID on 0845 60 70 999 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.